Appeals Court Keeps Fight Alive Over Trump Foreign Aid Freeze

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has ruled that the legal battle over the Trump administration's attempt to freeze foreign aid funds can proceed. The case concerns billions of dollars in aid approved by Congress, which the administration sought to block from being spent before the funds expired. The court's decision allows the lawsuit, brought by the House of Representatives, to continue. The House argued that the administration's actions violated the Impoundment Control Act, which requires the executive branch to spend funds as appropriated by Congress. The appeals court rejected the administration's request to dismiss the case, indicating that the House has standing to challenge the aid freeze. The ruling means the dispute over the president's authority to withhold funds approved by Congress will likely continue, with significant sums of foreign assistance at stake as the funds approach their expiration date. The case highlights the ongoing tensions between the executive and legislative branches over the control of government spending.