Supreme Court Allows Delay of Foreign Aid Funds
Justice John Roberts of the U.S. Supreme Court has granted the Trump administration a temporary pause on the allocation of billions in foreign aid while the court reviews an emergency appeal from the president.
This administrative stay will allow the administration to potentially hold on to about $4 billion earmarked for international assistance programs until lower court decisions are made.
Roberts’ order comes in response to emergency appeals linked to actions originating from the capital.
After the Justice Department filed these urgent requests with the court, lower court decisions indicated that even if Congress directed the administration to withdraw the funds, it would create a “faddy speed” necessity to allocate funds ahead of the September 30 deadline.
One of Trump’s initial actions upon entering the White House was to suspend approximately $30 billion in foreign aid. This move prompted swift legal challenges from global health and aid organizations, who argue that such funding is crucial for humanitarian efforts and surpasses the president’s authority to halt them.
The government’s filings suggest that around $30 billion, specifically $0.5 billion, will lapse on September 30. However, the administration intends to allocate $6.5 billion of these funds by that deadline.
This leaves about $4 billion in limbo. Critics, including Sauer, claimed that spending these funds would contradict U.S. foreign policy. Last month, Trump alerted Congress of his plans to use a rare “pocket withdrawal” to cancel the aid.
Trump has requested Congress to rescind funds under the Water Storage Control Act (ICA). Lawmakers are deliberating this request, although the administration can withhold the funds for up to 45 days. If Congress declines the request, the funds must be disbursed.
The Trump administration has contended to the Supreme Court that U.S. District Judge Amir Ali’s interim injunction would compel the release of these funds.
Roberts’ temporary order is devoid of detailed explanations and does not imply how the court may eventually rule in the case. It merely halts the lower court’s order concerning the funds linked to Trump’s proposal submitted to Congress on August 28.
The plaintiff opposed this administrative stay and has been directed to respond to the Trump administration’s applications by Friday afternoon.
