US Supreme Court rejects Trump administration’s bid to freeze $2B in foreign aid

WASHINGTON

The US Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration must comply with a district court order and release nearly $2 billion in foreign assistance funds to US Agency for International Development (USAID) contractors for work already completed under government contracts.

The court issued a 5-4 ruling, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining the court’s three liberals in rejecting the administration’s request to freeze the payments.

The ruling instructed the district court "to clarify what obligations the Government must fulfill to ensure compliance with the temporary restraining order, with due regard for the feasibility of any compliance timelines."

Four conservative justices opposed the decision, with Justice Samuel Alito arguing that District Judge Amir Ali lacked the authority to force the government to release $2 billion in taxpayer funds.

"Does a single district-court judge who likely lacks jurisdiction have the unchecked power to compel the Government of the United States to pay out (and probably lose forever) 2 billion taxpayer dollars? The answer to that question should be an emphatic ‘No,’ but a majority of this Court apparently thinks otherwise," he wrote.

"I am stunned," Alito wrote in his dissent.

Conservative justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh also dissented.

The Trump administration did not immediately comment on the ruling.

The administration initially froze the funds through an executive order, prompting US District Judge Amir Ali to issue a temporary restraining order three weeks ago. Ali ruled last week that the administration had violated the order and demanded the payments be made by Feb. 26.

The freeze on USAID funds was widely condemned as disastrous for international relief efforts around the world, leaving food aid rotting in warehouses and cutting off millions of people worldwide depending on the aid. Critics said it violated the US Constitution to cut off funds already appropriated by Congress.

After today’s unsigned order on an emergency application, the question of the aid is likely to eventually reach the Supreme Court again with a case calling for full decisions.

Top Trump administration figures have even hinted that they might flout a court ruling, which could trigger a constitutional crisis.