We filed a motion yesterday urging a federal judge to enforce his order — which has so far gone unheeded — requiring the administration to restart the foreign aid that Donald Trump froze by unlawful executive order on his first day back in office.
As reported by MSNBC, Politico, Reuters, and others, we also called on the court to hold Trump officials who refused to follow the order in contempt.
Here's a quick recap of this case so far:
January 20
On his first day back in office, Trump issues an executive order freezing almost all foreign assistance that the United States provides worldwide and ordering a stop to virtually all related work. The maneuver is a gross violation of both the Constitution's separation of powers and several federal statutes.
February 10
Public Citizen sues the Trump regime — on behalf of two organizations that receive funding from the federal government for overseas humanitarian work — to stop its illegal freeze and work stoppage.
February 12
We file a motion urging the court to take emergency action to stop the Trump regime's reckless and lawless actions while the case proceeds.
February 13
The judge grants our motion and issues a temporary restraining order requiring funding to be restarted and work to resume.
February 18
The administration boldly informs the court that it has not conformed to the temporary restraining order whatsoever, in flagrant defiance of the judge.
February 19
Public Citizen files a motion urging the court to enforce its temporary restraining order and to hold two Trump officials — Marco Rubio, Trump's Secretary of State, and Russell Vought, the Project 2025 architect Trump installed as director of the obscure but critical Office of Management and Budget — in contempt of court.
Here's what we said in a statement to national and international media outlets:
The Trump regime's brazen noncompliance cannot be condoned. We are asking the court to order immediate compliance with the temporary restraining order by rescinding all suspensions, stop-work orders, and terminations issued since January 19, 2025. We are also asking the court to issue an order holding Marco Rubio and Russell Vought in civil contempt and imposing monetary penalties until they comply.
This is one of seven lawsuits that Public Citizen has filed so far against the regime since Trump took the oath of office on January 20 for the second time. And there will be more.
We are doing what we can to fight Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and the rest — bringing to bear everything we've learned, all the connections we've made, all the experience we've developed, all the passion we've nurtured since our founding over half a century ago.
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For progress,
- Robert Weissman & Lisa Gilbert, Co-Presidents of Public Citizen
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