Federal judge blasts Trump administration for dodging order to resume USAID funding after freeze

Carl J. Nicholsjudge

In the President’s view, ‘the United States foreign aid industry’ is ‘not aligned with American interests and in many cases [is] antithetical to American values’ and indeed, ‘world peace.’

Nichols added

To the extent Defendants have continued the blanket suspension, they are ordered to immediately cease it,

he continued

The Court was not inviting Defendants to continue the suspension while they reviewed contracts and legal authorities to come up with a new, post-hoc rationalization for the en masse suspension,

wrote Ali, an appointee of President Joe Biden

The court has, twice now, ordered State and USAID to resume funding vital humanitarian programs. The government’s choice is clear: Comply immediately or risk constitutional crisis.”

A lawyer with Public Citizen, the advocacy organization representing the foreign-aid groups suing over the funding freeze, said Thursday evening

Plaintiffs remain in largely the same position they were before the Court issued its order: their owed funds have not been disbursed and they continue to suffer the same (or worse) irreparable harms,

lawyers for the groups said

The Court stands prepared to consider such arguments and evidence at the preliminary injunction stage,

Ali wrote