Trump Admin to Pay $2 Billion in Foreign Aid by Midnight
Chief Justice John Roberts, on Wednesday, paused a court-imposed midnight deadline that would have required the Trump administration to release $2 billion in frozen foreign aid—a goal the government claimed it could not meet. The emergency appeal marks the first time President Donald Trump’s attempts to remake the federal government, including imposing significant cuts across agencies, have reached the nation’s highest court.
Trump Admin to Pay $2 Billion : The Legal Battle Over Foreign Aid
The case brings into focus Trump’s sweeping efforts to consolidate power within the executive branch. However, Roberts’ order does not resolve the underlying issues. Instead, it imposed an “administrative stay” to give the court a few days to review written arguments. Roberts is the justice designated to handle emergency cases from the federal appeals court in Washington, DC. The chief justice has called for the groups suing the administration to respond by Friday.
The Trump administration urgently sought Supreme Court intervention on Wednesday, just hours before the midnight deadline. This marks the second time since Trump’s inauguration that he has rushed a case to the Supreme Court. Another case pending before the court involves Trump’s firing of leadership at the Office of Special Counsel.
Foreign Aid Funding at the Center of the Dispute
At the heart of the appeal is billions of dollars in foreign aid from the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that Trump froze in January. The freeze was part of his effort to reduce federal spending and align it with his policy positions.
US District Judge Amir Ali, appointed by President Joe Biden, issued a temporary order requiring the funds to be released while he considers the case. When plaintiffs argued the administration had not restored the funding adequately, Ali responded with a ruling ordering payment by Wednesday at 11:59 p.m. ET for all foreign aid completed by the time of his order. However, the Trump administration informed the court it would take “multiple weeks” to meet this deadline.
Government’s Defense and the Court’s Ruling
The Trump administration, through acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris, argued that the district court’s deadline was “imminent and arbitrary,” making full compliance impossible. Harris stressed that the government was undertaking substantial efforts to review and release payments, acknowledging the administration’s constitutional duty to comply with federal court orders.
However, plaintiffs disputed the administration’s explanations, accusing a small number of political appointees of refusing to authorize most payments.
The government faces an additional challenge. The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit ruled that the enforcement order in question could not be appealed, citing no previous case in which such an order had been challenged.
Roberts’ Temporary Order and What’s at Stake
Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and Georgetown Law professor, stated that Roberts’ decision is merely a “play for time” and does not signal how the Court will address the broader issue. The justices are giving themselves a couple of days to decide whether to pause Judge Ali’s ruling or force the government to restart the foreign aid funding during the ongoing litigation.
The Impact on USAID and Foreign Aid Programs
Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s filing revealed significant cuts to foreign aid. Over 90% of USAID’s foreign aid awards were terminated, with nearly 5,800 awards ended and more than 500 retained. The total value of the retained awards is approximately $57 billion. Additionally, around 4,100 State Department awards were terminated, while 2,700 were retained.
These cuts have severely impacted nonprofit organizations and contractors reliant on US aid programs. Foreign aid initiatives around the world have been halted due to the funding freeze and review, exacerbating the challenges faced by aid recipients.
In conclusion, as the court reviews the case, the fate of the foreign aid funding remains uncertain. The outcome could have profound implications not only for the Trump administration’s policies but also for international development efforts and the future of US foreign aid.
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