White House Says U.S. Has Not Cut Off Aid To Egypt

The White House says the United States has not cut off aid to Egypt, but is reviewing its options.

WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (AUGUST 20, 2013) (NBC) -  Media reports that suggest the United States has cut off aid to Egypt are not accurate, a White House spokesman said on Tuesday, adding that the Obama administration is still reviewing its options.

"Reports, published reports to the contrary that assistance to Egypt has been cut off are not accurate," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters in a briefing.Earnest also said that Egypt's detention of Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie was not in line with the standard that the United States would hope to uphold in protecting basic human rights.

Earlier on Tuesday, Egypt's army-backed authorities detained the 70-year-old Badie, the Brotherhood's general guide, in the wake of the bloody suppression of rallies demanding the reinstatement of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi, who was toppled by the military last month.

Earnest's comments on U.S. assistance follow media reports, citing a U.S. senator, that the United States had quietly decided to temporarily suspend most military aid to Egypt following the military takeover.

While under review, the aid has not halted, he said.

"Because we have not made a decision to cut off aid to Egypt, it is possible that additional tranches of aid could go out, but that is something that is being evaluated on a case by case basis," Earnest said.