Court Blocks Funding Suspension, Trump Officials Push Back
A federal judge has once again ruled against the Trump administration’s decision to freeze nearly all foreign aid, ordering officials to comply with his previous directive to restore funding. Judge Amir H. Ali, appointed by President Biden, accused the administration of attempting to justify the suspension after the fact rather than adhering to his original ruling issued on February 13.
Flowers placed outside the headquarters of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Friday, Feb. 7, 2025, in Washington.  (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Despite the court’s clear mandate, Deputy USAID Secretary Pete Marocco and other top officials continued the blanket suspension of funds, Ali stated. However, the judge declined to hold the administration in contempt, despite requests from nonprofit groups affected by the freeze.
Aid Groups Sound Alarm Over Halted Payments
The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by nonprofit organizations that rely on U.S. foreign assistance, challenging the administration’s sudden halt of nearly $60 billion in annual funding through USAID and the State Department. Even after Ali’s decision, many USAID contractors and staff claim that payments have not resumed, including hundreds of millions of dollars the government already owes.
Marocco and other Trump administration officials defended their actions in court, arguing they have the authority to withhold payments under existing contracts. Meanwhile, the administration insists it is reviewing each program individually to determine which align with its policy goals.
(President Donald Trump in his Office photo – newsweek.com)
Musk’s DOGE Department Leads Cost-Cutting Efforts
The funding freeze is part of a broader initiative led by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), spearheaded by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. DOGE has aggressively pursued budget cuts across multiple federal agencies, including USAID, the Department of Education, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The department claims to have saved $55 billion so far, though its cost-cutting measures have triggered a wave of legal challenges.
Critics argue that the deep cuts and staff purges have crippled U.S. foreign aid efforts, resulting in mass layoffs and financial instability for organizations reliant on government funding. While the administration defends its stance on foreign assistance, the legal battle over the aid freeze appears far from over.
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