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US judge orders temporary lift Trump administration's freeze on foreign aid

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US judge orders temporary lift Trump administration's freeze on foreign aid
U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to exit after viewing the launch of the sixth test flight of the SpaceX Starship rocket on Nov. 19, 2024, in Brownsville, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Bell / Getty Images)

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration on Feb. 13 to temporarily lift its funding freeze on U.S. foreign aid programs, including development work worldwide, the Associated Press reported.

The ruling marks a significant setback for the administration's effort to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk have accused of operating outside the administration's agenda.

Musk, who heads the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has called USAID a "criminal organization" and advocated for its dissolution.

Judge Amir Ali issued the order in response to a lawsuit filed by the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and the Global Health Council, representing health organizations that receive U.S. funding for international projects.

The Trump administration ordered a 90-day freeze on nearly all foreign assistance upon taking office, placing USAID under State Department control last week. Crews were seen removing its signage from the agency's Washington headquarters on Feb. 7.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Feb. 4 that U.S. foreign aid should align with national interests rather than function as charity, emphasizing that assistance programs would not be eliminated.

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, USAID has provided $2.6 billion in humanitarian aid, $5 billion in development assistance, and more than $30 billion in direct budget support to Kyiv.

The agency has funded school reconstruction, bomb shelters, critical energy repairs, and civil society programs.

US aid to Ukraine could become ‘carrot or stick’ in talks with Russia, Hegseth says
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that President Donald Trump’s administration is continuing to deliver the allocated security assistance to Kyiv but hinted that future funding could be conditional.
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Tim Zadorozhnyy

News Editor

Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.

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"I don't know if it’s gonna affect Russia, because he (Russian President Vladimir Putin) wants to obviously probably keep the war going, but we're gonna put tariffs and various things," U.S. President Donald Trump said.

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