“The last place that needs $130 million is Egypt,” the senior State Department official said, adding that Congress has been informed and there is “complete consensus” within the department on the recommendation that Secretary of State Antony Blinken not allow Egypt to receive the money which will now be allotted to other countries.
Two congressional sources confirmed that they were briefed on Wednesday about the State Department’s plans, and human rights activists who spoke with CNN had also been informed.
State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Thursday that the status of the money has not changed and that Blinken “has yet to make a determination.” Blinken spoke with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry, on Thursday about a range of issues, including human rights, but the department’s summary of the call did not mention the aid money.
The Egyptian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment but the senior State Department official said they have been told they will not be receiving the money.
The “Egyptians are not thrilled,” the official said.
“This is the right thing to do, but unfortunately the impact and effectiveness of this decision is undermined by simultaneously moving forward with arms sales, nearly 20 times more than the amount being reprogramed,” said Seth Binder, the director for advocacy at the Project on Middle East Democracy.
The sale, which includes a dozen large transport planes and three radar systems, are in the US security interest and being paid for in part with American military aid money already received by Egypt, the State Department official countered.
“We’re letting them buy things that are in our interest,” the official said. “If we were letting them buy things that they believe are in their interest but are of no benefit to the United States, then I would understand that argument.”
Blinken did not use the waiver for the September tranche of $300 million, but the administration was harshly criticized by activists and some lawmakers for bypassing conditions set by Congress and releasing any money at all. The remaining balance of $130 million was contingent on ending what’s known as Case 173, which saw the prosecution and investigations of human rights groups, as well as travel bans and asset freezes. Charges would also need to be dropped against 16 individuals targeted for political reasons.
“The Biden administration set an incredibly low bar for Egypt to clear — far lower than Congress intended — to receive its full military aid,” said Andrea Prasow, the executive director of the Freedom Initiative. “At the same time, we now know that pressure works when our rhetoric has teeth. The fact that any progress was made on prisoner releases is only because the administration held firmly to its conditions, and we should insist that doing so is the only path forward in relations with Egypt.”
In September, the $170 million handed to Egypt was designated for counterterrorism, border control and non-proliferation.
