The Trump administration must release billions of dollars in foreign aid approved by Congress, includes money that President Donald Trump said last week he will not be spend, a federal judge has ordered .
U.S. District Judge Amir Ali in Washington ruled Wednesday that the move by the Republican administration was likely illegal and issued a preliminary injunction ordering the release of $11.5 billion that is set to expire at the end of the month.
“To be clear, no one disputes that Defendants have significant discretion in how to spend the funds at issue, and the Court is not directing Defendants to make payments to any particular recipients,” wrote Ali, who was nominated by Democratic President Joe Biden. “But Defendants do not have any discretion as to whether to spend the funds.”