US Judge Orders Trump Administration to Pay Part of $2B Foreign Aid by Monday

A U.S. District Court judge has delivered a stern directive to the Trump administration: pay at least part of the nearly $2 billion owed in foreign aid by 6 p.m. Monday. This comes after a whirlwind 24 hours in which the Supreme Court rejected the administration's request to maintain a freeze on these funds.

Judge Amir Ali, who presided over a four-hour hearing on Thursday, made it clear that the government needed to start settling its debt quickly. The funds in question are tied to completed projects funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Ali ordered immediate action, stating, "I think it’s reasonable to get the plaintiffs' invoices paid by 6 p.m. on Monday." He emphasized that this would mark the first step in resolving a long-standing issue of unpaid aid.

The Justice Department had argued that meeting the timeline was "impossible," citing logistical challenges, including the difficulties of processing financial transactions over the weekend. Judge Ali was unconvinced, pointing out that $70 million had been disbursed in less than 24 hours earlier in the week. If that’s possible, so is this, he implied.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court's recent 5-4 ruling sent the case back to the D.C. federal court, leaving Judge Ali to sort out the finer details of repayment. The ruling followed months of delay as the Trump administration pursued its broader agenda of slashing foreign aid spending. President Trump has openly stated his intention to reduce USAID contracts by 90% and cut an additional $60 billion in foreign aid.

During the hearing, Stephen Wirth, representing the plaintiffs, accused the administration of conducting a "breakneck" review of contracts with the sole aim of canceling as many as possible. The legality of terminating projects funded by Congress remains a contentious issue and could ultimately return to the Supreme Court.

Judge Ali underscored that the Feb. 26 deadline he had previously set had already passed without compliance, leaving him little choice but to enforce stricter measures. He described his duty to clarify the government's role in repayment as one he takes "very seriously."

At the heart of the dispute is the administration’s freeze on foreign aid payments, justified by claims of improving efficiency and eliminating waste. However, plaintiffs argue the freeze has caused significant harm to contractors and aid groups, many of whom have completed their work but are still waiting for payment.

Acting U.S. Solicitor General Sarah Harris acknowledged that the plaintiffs' claims were "legitimate" but maintained that the timeline was unrealistic. Judge Ali, however, seemed skeptical of the administration’s excuses, noting their lack of concrete steps toward fulfilling the court’s earlier orders.

As the clock ticks toward Monday’s deadline, it remains to be seen whether the administration will comply or escalate the legal battle further. One thing is clear: Judge Ali is not in the mood for more delays.