Obama Administration Won't Call Morsi's Removal a 'Coup'

Military aid will be allowed to continue

The State Department on Friday said it will not label the overthrow of Egypt's democratically-elected government a coup, arguing the law does not require it to make a formal determination. 

Administration officials notified lawmakers Thursday of the decision, which will allow about $1.5 billion in mostly military aid to Egypt to continue uninterrupted. 

"The law does not require us to make a formal determination – that is a review that we have undergone – as to whether a coup took place, and it is not in our national interest to make such a determination," said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. "We have determined we are not going to make a determination."