SAN FRANCISCO — A U.S. judge ruled Wednesday that the government does not have to immediately resume paying “Obamacare” health care subsidies that President Trump cut off.

Eighteen state attorneys general, led by California Democrat Xavier Becerra, argued the monthly payments are required under former President Barack Obama’s health care law and cutting them off will harm consumers. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco said the Trump administration had the “stronger legal argument” and the emergency relief sought by the states would be “counterproductive.”