The US Supreme Court has temporarily halted a midnight deadline for the Trump administration to release $2 billion in frozen foreign aid, marking the first time President Donald Trump’s efforts to remake the federal government have reached the nation’s highest court.
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued an emergency order, temporarily halting a court-imposed midnight deadline that would have required the Trump administration to release $2 billion in frozen foreign aid.
The Trump administration, led by President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021, implemented various policies and initiatives that had significant impacts on domestic and foreign affairs.
Some key policies include tax reform through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, deregulation efforts in industries such as healthcare and finance, and a focus on border security with the construction of a southern border wall.
The administration also withdrew from several international agreements, including the Paris Climate Accord and the Iran Nuclear Deal.
Additionally, Trump's trade policies led to tariffs being imposed on imported goods.
This emergency appeal marks the first time President Donald Trump‘s efforts to drastically remake the federal government have reached the nation’s highest court. The case appears likely to put the justices on a collision course with Trump‘s sweeping efforts to consolidate power within the executive branch.
In January, President Trump froze billions of dollars in foreign aid from the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). US District Judge Amir Ali, nominated by President Joe Biden, imposed a temporary order requiring that money to flow while he considered the case. However, after the plaintiffs asserted that the Trump administration had not adequately restored the funding, Ali responded by ordering payment by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. ET of all foreign aid that had been completed by the time of his order.
The Trump administration has told courts that it would take ‘multiple weeks’ to meet the judge’s request. In a notable section of the appeal, the administration argued that it ‘takes seriously its constitutional duty to comply with the orders‘ of federal courts. However, the groups that sued have balked at these explanations, suggesting that a small number of political appointees within the administration are refusing to authorize payments.
The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit has already rejected the administration’s bid to halt the deadline, stating that the enforcement order at issue was not one that could be appealed in the first place. ‘Appellants cite no case that has held that such a later issued supporting order is appealable,’ the court said in its unanimous ruling.
Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at Georgetown University Law Center, said Roberts‘ move isn’t an indication of how the court will treat Trump and the foreign aid freeze overall. ‘It’s really just a play for time – in this case, perhaps as little as two days – to give the justices time to sort out whether or not they should pause Judge Ali’s ruling or force the government to turn the challenged foreign aid funding back on while the litigation challenging its suspension continues,’ Vladeck said.
As a Wednesday court filing shows, the Trump administration is terminating more than 90% of USAID‘s foreign aid awards. In total, nearly 5,800 USAID awards were terminated, and more than 500 USAID awards were retained. The significant slashing of foreign aid awards is a blow to the work of nonprofit organizations and contractors. Aid programs around the world have ground to a halt due to a sweeping funding freeze and review of billions of dollars of assistance.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is a US government agency that provides economic, development, and humanitarian assistance to countries around the world.
Established in 1961, USAID works with partner countries to reduce poverty, improve health, and promote sustainable economic growth.
With a presence in over 100 countries, USAID focuses on areas such as global health, food security, education, and disaster relief.
