President Donald Trump’s administration said in a court filing on Wednesday it has made final decisions terminating most U.S. foreign aid contracts and grants, while maintaining it cannot meet a court-ordered 11:59 p.m. EST (0559 GMT) deadline to pay for past work.
The filing in Washington, D.C., federal court
, opens new tab came in a pair of lawsuits brought by organizations that contract with or receive grants from the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, alleging that the agencies have illegally frozen all foreign aid payments.
The administration has kept those payments largely frozen despite a February 13 temporary restraining order from U.S. District Judge Amir Ali that they be released, and multiple subsequent orders that it comply, culminating in the Wednesday night deadline.
Lawyers for the U.S. Justice Department have maintained that the administration has a right to suspend its agreements while it reviews them to determine whether they comply with administration policy. MORE