A federal judge ordered the Trump administration on 13 February to restore funding for hundreds of foreign aid contractors affected by the president’s 90-day blanket freeze, Politico reports.
US District Judge Amir Ali, appointed by former President Joe Biden to the Washington DC court, ruled that the administration failed to justify the extensive harm caused by halting foreign aid programs.
“At least to date, Defendants have not offered any explanation for why a blanket suspension of all congressionally appropriated foreign aid, which set off a shock wave and upended reliance interests for thousands of agreements with businesses, nonprofits, and organizations around the country, was a rational precursor to reviewing programs,” Ali wrote.
The judge barred Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought from implementing contract cancellations or stop-work orders issued after Trump’s inauguration while litigation continues.
The ruling blocks a key component of Trump’s Day One executive orders that mandated a 90-day foreign aid freeze. According to Politico, Ali determined the administration appeared to act “arbitrarily and capriciously” by cutting off all foreign aid without considering impacts on businesses with pre-inauguration aid awards.
Attorney Stephen Wirth described severe disruptions during a conference-call hearing on 12 February 2025, stating that “businesses are shuttering, terminating employees… food is rotting, medication is expiring.”
The administration’s list, provided at the judge’s order, showed over 200 foreign aid contracts canceled in the current week alone. Legal representatives emphasized that US-based organizations working with overseas partners were laying off or furloughing nearly all staff, with many facing potential collapse during the 90-day freeze.
The order marks the second interruption to Trump’s USAID restructuring efforts. US District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, previously blocked the administration from placing thousands of workers on administrative leave and cutting system access, extending that hold on 13 February 2025.
Related:
- “Shame on the Trump Administration.” Former security advisor slams president’s “surrender” on Ukraine
- Ukrainians have mixed opinions regarding USAID funding suspension
- Reuters: US funding freeze threatens probes into Russia’s war crimes
- Trump’s foreign aid freeze disrupts Ukraine’s investigation of 140,000 Russian war crimes
- USAID shutdown creates opportunity for Russian money to enter Ukrainian media space, threatening freedom of speech
- Musk spreads fake news about alleged USAID funding celebrity visits to Ukraine
- Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation faces funding crisis as USAID halts support
- USAID halt hit Ukraine hardest: Ukrainians speak out
- US diplomats seek Ukraine exemption from Rubio’s aid freeze
- USAID Ukraine office ordered to suspend all project funding, Suspilne says
- Trump orders 90-day pause on US foreign assistance programs, Kyiv says it doesn’t affect Ukraine aid (updated)
