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WASHINGTON: A federal judge in the US on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to repay nearly $2 billion to USAID and State Department partners by next Monday. Judge Amir Ali’s order lifted a six-week ban on all foreign aid imposed by the Trump administration. US District Judge Amir Ali ruled in favour of NGOs and businesses that had sued against the funding freeze. The funding freeze forced organisations across the world to cut services and lay off thousands of employees.
The judge doubted the Trump administration’s arguments
Ali’s questions seemed to cast doubt on the Trump administration’s argument that presidents have broad authority to override congressional decisions on spending in matters of foreign policy, including foreign aid. Ali said, ‘To say that the appropriation is optional would be an earth-shaking, nation-shaking proposal.’ He asked government lawyer Indranil Sur, ‘The question in my mind is where are you getting this from in the constitutional document?’ After the order given on Thursday, all eyes are now on other cases related to USAID.
Trump had stopped the funding on January 20
Ali’s decision comes a day after the Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s proposal to stop the funding received through USAID. The High Court directed Ali to clarify what the government should do to comply with his previous order, which needed to immediately release the funds for the work already done. The funds were stopped under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on January 20.
60 billion dollars of funding affected
The Trump administration appealed when Ali issued a temporary stay order and set a deadline to release payments for the work already done. The administration said it had implemented individual determinations rather than a blanket spending freeze, resulting in the cancellation of 5,800 USAID contracts and 41,000 State Department grants, totaling nearly $60 billion in aid.
