A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked the decision of President Donald Trump's administration to freeze funding for federal grants and loans. More exceptions have been made for the provision of foreign aid.
This is reported by the Associated Press.
U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan believes that the temporary freeze on aid will harm existing programs and contradict U.S. law. The National Council of Nonprofits filed a lawsuit, arguing that the blocking of aid is illegal. It was this lawsuit that was granted by the court. The judge noted that she will make a final decision on February 3.
The Trump administration's plan has plunged the U.S. government into panic and confusion and created the prerequisites for a constitutional conflict over control over taxpayer money, the AP publication says.
Separately, a lawsuit filed by attorneys general of 22 states and the District of Columbia is being considered, which is also trying to block the Trump administration's initiative until its final review.
Representatives of the U.S. Democratic Party called the Trump administration's decision "capricious and illegal." They argued that the President had no right to unilaterally stop spending money allocated by Congress.
After U.S.-funded aid programs around the world began to collapse due to the freeze of almost all foreign aid, Secretary of State Marco Rubio agreed on Tuesday to at least temporarily continue spending money on humanitarian programs that provide life-saving medicines, medical services, food and shelter. and housing assistance.
At the same time, the exceptions will not apply to any programs related to abortion, gender reassignment surgery or diversity activities.
The Associated Press recalls that initially the exceptions in the provision of aid were made for external food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt. Some in the humanitarian community expressed hope that Rubio's move would save more programs that support the lives of refugees, the seriously ill and others around the world.
What is known about the freeze on foreign aid grant funding
Last week, President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day freeze to give the administration time to review which of the thousands of humanitarian, development and security programs will continue to receive money from the United States.
Several projects in Ukraine were funded by a branch of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), so the suspension of aid also affected Ukrainians.
On January 24, Voice of America wrote, citing the U.S. Department of Defense, that Trump's order does not apply to military aid to Ukraine.
And on January 25, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that the United States will continue to provide military aid to Ukraine under previously approved programs.
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