The Supreme Court, in a narrow 5-4 decision on Wednesday, rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to keep billions of dollars in foreign aid frozen.
While the ruling marks a significant setback for the administration’s efforts to withhold the funds, the court did not set a deadline for their release, allowing the White House to continue disputing the matter in lower courts.
The case centers on billions in foreign aid from the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) that Trump froze in January as part of his push to rein in spending and bring these agencies in line with his policy priorities.
Several nonprofit organizations that rely on the funding for global health and humanitarian programs sued, arguing that the move violated Congress’s authority over government spending and federal laws governing agency decision-making.
In a brief filed on Friday, the organizations described the administration’s actions as having a “devastating” impact. They argued that the funding “advances US interests abroad and improves – and, in many cases, literally saves – the lives of millions of people across the globe.” The filing further emphasized that “in doing so, it helps stop problems like disease and instability overseas before they reach our shores.”
US District Judge Amir Ali, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, had earlier ruled on February 13 that a portion of the funds must continue to flow temporarily while the case was under review. Days later, the plaintiffs accused the administration of ignoring the ruling and continuing to block the aid. In response, Ali ordered that the Trump administration release the disputed funds by midnight Wednesday.
Just hours before the deadline, the administration filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court, asking for at least a short delay. The government argued that it was making “substantial efforts” to review payment requests and disburse the funds but could not meet the timeline set by Ali’s order.
The organizations challenging the freeze rejected that explanation, arguing that a small group of political appointees “are refusing to authorize essentially any payments.” They further claimed in a Supreme Court filing that “the government has not taken ‘any meaningful steps’ to come into compliance.”
Chief Justice John Roberts, acting alone, granted the administration a temporary reprieve on Wednesday by issuing an “administrative stay,” which put the case on hold while both sides submitted written arguments. Roberts, in his role as chief justice, handles emergency matters from the federal appeals court in Washington DC.
The lawsuit was brought by organizations including the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, a New York-based nonprofit focused on HIV prevention, and the Global Health Council, a Washington, DC-based group representing global health initiatives.
Court filings from the Trump administration revealed plans to terminate more than 90% of USAID’s foreign aid awards. “In total, nearly 5,800 USAID awards were terminated, and more than 500 USAID awards were retained,” the government stated in one filing. It also disclosed that “the total ceiling value of the retained awards is approximately $57 billion.”
The administration further reported that “approximately 4,100 State awards were terminated, and approximately 2,700 State awards were retained,” referring to the State Department’s foreign aid programs.
As a result of the funding freeze, aid programs worldwide have been disrupted, with many initiatives coming to a standstill. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has either placed most of USAID’s workforce on leave or terminated their employment, further complicating efforts to distribute the funds.
(CNN)
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