Washington, DC [US]: U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has temporarily halted a lower court’s order requiring the Trump administration to unfreeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid. This decision delays a midnight deadline set by U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, who ruled that the administration had violated a previous court order by continuing to withhold the funds.
The Trump administration argued that it could not feasibly meet the tight deadline set by Judge Ali. In an emergency motion, acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris wrote, “This new order requiring payment of enormous sums of foreign-assistance money in less than 36 hours intrudes on the prerogatives of the Executive Branch. The President’s power is at its apex—and the power of the judiciary is at its nadir—in matters of foreign affairs.”
Roberts, who handles emergency appeals from Washington, DC, has issued a temporary pause, giving the Supreme Court time to review the matter. He has also directed the plaintiffs to respond by midday Friday.
This ruling grants a temporary win for the Trump administration, which has been working to overhaul USAID and freeze foreign aid spending. However, it leaves USAID contractors and nonprofits in uncertainty. The plaintiffs argue that without immediate payments, some organizations may be forced to halt operations.
Lawyer Stephen Wirth stated, “After flouting the district court’s temporary restraining order for a full twelve days in letter and in spirit—requiring the district court to not once, not twice, but three times order compliance—Defendants bring this premature appeal in a last-ditch effort to evade the order of an Article III court.”
Public Citizen Litigation Group Director Allison Zieve criticized the administration’s stance, saying, “The lengths to which the government is going to flout a court order, all for the goal of ending life-saving humanitarian assistance, is staggering.”
Since taking office, Trump has sought to reduce USAID’s role, including by issuing an executive order pausing all federal aid payments. Many USAID officials have been placed on leave or dismissed, further disrupting international aid programs.
The Supreme Court’s decision on whether to overturn Ali’s ruling or allow the funds to be released remains pending. For now, the Trump administration is not required to distribute the aid.