A federal judge delivered a stern warning to the Trump administration that it must abide by a court order to unfreeze foreign-aid funding, but he stopped short Thursday of holding administration officials in contempt of court for continuing to hold up some of the money.

President Trump’s restrictions on foreign aid and targeting of a key agency funding programs around the world may be offering an opening to China.

ANDREW NATSIOS served as Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development during the George W. Bush administration. He is a Professor at the Bush School of Government at Texas A&M University and Director of the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs.