Judge orders Trump to release foreign aid within two days – media
A US federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to release frozen foreign aid funds within two days, according to reports from AP and CBS. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
NGOs and government contractors have filed a lawsuit against the administration for withholding allocated grants.
A federal judge in the United States has ordered the administration of President Donald Trump to release billions of dollars in foreign aid that were approved but frozen last month. This directive was highlighted by various media outlets.
On his first day in office, Trump froze the majority of US foreign aid funding to ensure it aligned with his "America first" policies, part of a larger initiative to address what he described as wasteful government spending.
District Judge Amir H. Ali initially issued a temporary restraining order on February 13, instructing the Trump administration to release the funds for loans and contracts that had been put on hold due to the presidential order. In a subsequent hearing last week, government lawyers contended that the administration was adhering to the TRO, asserting it allowed for the cancellation and suspension of contracts while under review.
During a telephone conference on Tuesday, the judge indicated that the administration had not demonstrated any compliance with his TRO. Ali ruled that the Trump administration must disburse foreign aid funds to the grant recipients and contractors by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which consists of NGOs and companies holding government contracts, argue that Trump’s aid freeze has forced them to lay off staff, terminate programs, and face potential closure. The NGOs claim that they have been deprived of tens of millions of dollars in funding from the State Department and the US Agency for International Development, which are the primary channels for the US to direct funds towards international political initiatives.
With an annual expenditure of approximately $40 billion on foreign assistance, USAID quickly became a focal point for Trump’s government efficiency czar, Elon Musk, along with the newly-established Department of Government Efficiency.
Both Trump and Musk have characterized USAID as being fraught with corruption, advocating for the agency's dismantling.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
A federal judge in the United States has ordered the administration of President Donald Trump to release billions of dollars in foreign aid that were approved but frozen last month. This directive was highlighted by various media outlets.
On his first day in office, Trump froze the majority of US foreign aid funding to ensure it aligned with his "America first" policies, part of a larger initiative to address what he described as wasteful government spending.
District Judge Amir H. Ali initially issued a temporary restraining order on February 13, instructing the Trump administration to release the funds for loans and contracts that had been put on hold due to the presidential order. In a subsequent hearing last week, government lawyers contended that the administration was adhering to the TRO, asserting it allowed for the cancellation and suspension of contracts while under review.
During a telephone conference on Tuesday, the judge indicated that the administration had not demonstrated any compliance with his TRO. Ali ruled that the Trump administration must disburse foreign aid funds to the grant recipients and contractors by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, according to Reuters.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which consists of NGOs and companies holding government contracts, argue that Trump’s aid freeze has forced them to lay off staff, terminate programs, and face potential closure. The NGOs claim that they have been deprived of tens of millions of dollars in funding from the State Department and the US Agency for International Development, which are the primary channels for the US to direct funds towards international political initiatives.
With an annual expenditure of approximately $40 billion on foreign assistance, USAID quickly became a focal point for Trump’s government efficiency czar, Elon Musk, along with the newly-established Department of Government Efficiency.
Both Trump and Musk have characterized USAID as being fraught with corruption, advocating for the agency's dismantling.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
