On 13/8, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. overturned a lower court's ruling and removed the requirement for President Donald Trump's administration to restore foreign aid funding approved by Congress.

The appeals court stated that the aid recipient organizations, the plaintiffs in the case, lacked legal standing to sue and that the lower court had "made a mistake".

Lauren Bateman, lead counsel for some of the plaintiffs, said she would ask the court to reconsider the ruling. "Countless people will suffer illness, hunger, and death as a result of the US government halting aid to the world's most vulnerable," she said.

Healthcare workers in Kenya inventory boxes of USAID-funded medicine in April. Photo: AFP

Healthcare workers in Kenya inventory boxes of USAID-funded medicine in April. Photo: AFP

A coalition of relief groups, businesses, and nonprofits had previously sued the Trump administration for suspending foreign aid approved by Congress for the 2024 fiscal year.

Federal Judge Amir Ali in Washington, D.C., an appointee of former President Joe Biden, issued an injunction against the Trump administration's decision in February. Judge Ali argued that US officials could not freeze aid that had been allocated before they took office, nor could they dismiss or suspend personnel associated with those projects.

After returning to power in January, President Trump suspended billions of USD in foreign aid and ordered the closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID is the US government's primary agency for distributing humanitarian aid globally, with health and emergency relief programs in about 120 countries.

The US has long considered foreign aid a vital tool in its foreign policy. However, President Trump pledged to implement an "America First" policy after taking office, and restricting foreign aid is one measure intended to achieve that goal.

Pham Giang (According to AFP, CNN)