US judge orders Trump to release foreign aid within two days, according to reports
A US federal judge has ordered that the Trump administration must release frozen foreign aid funds within two days, as reported by AP and CBS. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
NGOs and government contractors have taken legal action regarding the withholding of allocated grants.
A U.S. federal judge has mandated that the Trump administration release billions of dollars in foreign aid that was approved but frozen last month, according to multiple media outlets.
President Trump initially froze most U.S. foreign aid funding on his first day in office to ensure it aligned with his “America first” objectives. This move is part of a broader effort to address perceived waste in government spending.
District Judge Amir H. Ali issued a temporary restraining order on February 13, requiring the Trump administration to release funds for loans and contracts that had been put on hold by presidential directive. During a subsequent hearing last week, government attorneys contended that the administration was adhering to the TRO, asserting it allowed them to cancel and suspend contracts while under review.
In a telephone session on Tuesday, the judge expressed that the administration had not demonstrated compliance with the TRO. Ali mandated that the Trump administration must distribute foreign aid funds to grant recipients and contractors by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, consisting of NGOs and contractors, claim that the aid freeze has forced them to lay off employees, halt programs, and face potential closure. The NGOs allege that they have been denied tens of millions of dollars from the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which is a key channel for U.S. funding of political projects overseas.
USAID, which allocates about $40 billion annually for foreign assistance, was among the initial targets of Trump’s government efficiency initiative, led by Elon Musk and the newly established Department of Government Efficiency. Both Trump and Musk have characterized USAID as plagued by corruption and have advocated for its dissolution.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
A U.S. federal judge has mandated that the Trump administration release billions of dollars in foreign aid that was approved but frozen last month, according to multiple media outlets.
President Trump initially froze most U.S. foreign aid funding on his first day in office to ensure it aligned with his “America first” objectives. This move is part of a broader effort to address perceived waste in government spending.
District Judge Amir H. Ali issued a temporary restraining order on February 13, requiring the Trump administration to release funds for loans and contracts that had been put on hold by presidential directive. During a subsequent hearing last week, government attorneys contended that the administration was adhering to the TRO, asserting it allowed them to cancel and suspend contracts while under review.
In a telephone session on Tuesday, the judge expressed that the administration had not demonstrated compliance with the TRO. Ali mandated that the Trump administration must distribute foreign aid funds to grant recipients and contractors by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, as reported by Reuters.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, consisting of NGOs and contractors, claim that the aid freeze has forced them to lay off employees, halt programs, and face potential closure. The NGOs allege that they have been denied tens of millions of dollars from the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which is a key channel for U.S. funding of political projects overseas.
USAID, which allocates about $40 billion annually for foreign assistance, was among the initial targets of Trump’s government efficiency initiative, led by Elon Musk and the newly established Department of Government Efficiency. Both Trump and Musk have characterized USAID as plagued by corruption and have advocated for its dissolution.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
