The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a temporary victory to the Trump administration late Wednesday night, by halting a lower court’s order that would have compelled the administration to release nearly $2 billion in foreign aid by a midnight deadline.
The decision, announced by Chief Justice John Roberts, suspends the mandate from U.S. District Judge Amir H. Ali until the high court can fully review the case, marking a significant moment in an ongoing legal battle over President Donald Trump’s authority to freeze congressionally approved funds.
The controversy stems from an executive order issued by Trump on January 20 - his first day back in office - imposing a 90-day pause on all foreign assistance administered through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department. The administration framed the freeze as a necessary review to eliminate “wasteful programs” misaligned with its foreign policy goals. However, nonprofit organisations, including the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and the Global Health Council, swiftly filed a lawsuit, arguing that the abrupt suspension violated federal law and jeopardised life-saving programs worldwide, from humanitarian aid to health initiatives.
On February 13, Judge Ali issued a temporary restraining order blocking the freeze, ruling that the administration failed to justify why a blanket suspension of all foreign aid was necessary for its review. Despite this, the administration continued to delay payments, prompting Ali to set a firm deadline of 11:59 p.m. EST on February 26 for the release of approximately $2 billion owed to aid organisations. The Justice Department countered that disbursing such a sum within the timeframe was logistically impossible and, in a last-minute appeal, asked the Supreme Court to intervene.
In its emergency filing, the Trump administration argued that Judge Ali’s order disrupted an “orderly review” of foreign aid programs and encroached on executive authority. The filing claimed that the lower court’s directive forced the government into “chaos”, particularly as it coincided with efforts to terminate over 90 per cent of USAID’s contracts, amounting to cuts of more than $60 billion in total assistance. Administration officials, backed by Trump ally Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency team, have defended the cuts as a purge of inefficiency and programs tied to “diversity, equity, and inclusion” initiatives.
The Supreme Court’s decision to grant a stay came hours after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals declined to lift Ali’s deadline, leaving the administration scrambling. Chief Justice Roberts’ brief statement emphasised that the block would remain in place “until the high court has a chance to weigh in more fully,” signaling that a broader ruling on the president’s power to withhold appropriated funds could be forthcoming.
Aid organisations expressed dismay at the ruling. “The lengths this administration will go to halt life-saving assistance, even in defiance of court orders, is staggering,” said Allison Zieve, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs. She noted that the freeze has already stalled deliveries of food and medicine, stranding supplies in warehouses while communities in crisis wait. Meanwhile, the administration pointed to limited exemptions, such as $250 million in “lifesaving” aid released this week, as evidence of compliance, though critics argue this is a fraction of what’s needed.
The case has reignited debates over the balance of power between Congress, which appropriates funds, and the executive branch, which oversees their execution. Legal experts see parallels to Trump’s 2019 Ukraine aid controversy, though this freeze is far broader in scope. With USAID’s operations gutted, its staff sidelined and its Washington headquarters lease revoked, the standoff underscores a radical push to reshape U.S. foreign policy.
As the Supreme Court prepares to take up the matter, the fate of billions in aid, and the millions who depend on it, hangs in the balance. For now, the Trump administration has secured breathing room, but the fight is far from over. Pic credit AP/PTI.