Setback to Trump government in America from court, instructions to pay $2 billion to USAID and State Department partners

It has set a deadline for the Trump administration to make a payment of $2 billion to State Department and USAID partners by Monday. This Thursday's decision brings to a close the six-week halt in foreign aid ordered by the administration. This decision can be a massive test for the Trump administration.

US District Judge Amir Ali ruled in favor of non-profit organizations and companies that had brought a suit to halt the funding. The move by the administration has forced organizations across the globe to shut services and lay off thousands of workers. The questions by the court during its hearing put into question the contention by the Trump administration that presidents have broad power to reject congressional foreign policy spending, like foreign aid.

"It would be an earth-shaking, nation-shaking proposition to say that appropriations are optional," Ali said, commenting on the government's argument. "My question to you is, where in the constitutional document are you getting this?" he asked government lawyer Indranil Sur. Thursday's order comes in a case that is expected to include more decisions on the administration's rapid termination of 90 percent of USAID contracts worldwide.

Federal judge Ali's ruling comes a day after the Supreme Court rejected a Trump administration motion to halt funding through USAID. The high court directed Ali to clarify what the government must do to comply with his previous order that called for the immediate release of funds for work already done.

The funds were frozen under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Jan. 20. The administration appealed the case after Ali issued a temporary restraining order and set a deadline to release payments for work already performed. The administration said it had applied individual determinations instead of a blanket spending freeze, resulting in the cancellation of 5,800 USAID contracts and 4,1000 State Department grants, totaling about $60 billion.