Judge Orders Trump Administration to Release $2 Billion in Withheld Foreign Aid

A federal ruling finds the Trump administration likely violated constitutional separation of powers by freezing funds allocated by Congress.

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali ruled that the Trump administration must pay $2 billion in withheld foreign aid to contractors for completed work.
The judge stated that freezing the funds likely violated the Constitution by undermining Congress’s exclusive power to allocate spending.
The Supreme Court recently declined to extend a freeze on the payments, allowing the lower court ruling to proceed.
The ruling applies only to payments for completed projects and does not reinstate canceled contracts or cover future work.
The administration's freeze disrupted critical humanitarian programs, including vaccine delivery and HIV prevention efforts, causing significant harm.