US delays nearly $200 million in military aid to Egypt

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Trump administration is delaying nearly $200 million in military aid payments to Egypt pending human rights improvements.

Under U.S. law, the secretary of state must certify that Egypt is meeting human rights conditions or determine that it is in the U.S. national interest to release the money.

U.S. officials said Tuesday that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had signed the waiver but would hold off spending the money. Tillerson faced a September 30 deadline to either act or surrender the money to the Treasury.

The waiver gives Egypt additional time to meet the requirements for the $195 million, which Congress appropriated for fiscal year 2016.

Tillerson decided to withhold another $95.7 million in military and economic aid to Egypt that has been on hold since fiscal 2014.