In a dramatic showdown over America’s foreign aid commitments, Chief Justice John Roberts has delivered a major win for the Trump administration, halting a Biden-appointed judge’s order that would have forced the payout of billions in taxpayer dollars.
At a Glance
- Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts paused a lower court order requiring the Trump administration to pay $2 billion in foreign aid
- The original order came from Biden-appointed U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, who had temporarily blocked Trump’s freeze on foreign spending
- The Trump administration argued the judge’s order imposed an “untenable payment plan” that conflicts with presidential authority
- This marks the first instance of the Supreme Court granting relief to the Trump administration
- Trump has announced plans to cut over 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts, representing a major shift in longstanding U.S. policy
Supreme Court Intervention Saves Billions
The Supreme Court has stepped in to halt what could have been a massive $2 billion payout of American taxpayer money to foreign nations. Chief Justice John Roberts granted the Trump administration’s emergency request Wednesday, pausing a lower court order that would have forced the continuation of foreign aid payments despite the administration’s efforts to review and reduce such spending.
Roberts instructed all parties involved to provide explanations by Friday at noon regarding whether the funding should continue, signaling that this judicial battle over presidential authority and federal spending is far from over. The Supreme Court’s intervention comes after U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, appointed by President Biden, attempted to override the administration’s freeze on foreign spending.
MORE: ➡️ On February 26, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court, through an order signed by Chief Justice John Roberts, temporarily halted a lower court’s mandate that required the Trump Administration to release billions of dollars in U.S. foreign aid by a midnight deadline.
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Trump Administration Defends Presidential Authority
Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris presented a powerful case to the Supreme Court, arguing that the lower court’s order had created chaos in what should have been an orderly government review process. The administration contended that the judge’s mandate would have severely hampered the President’s constitutional authority over foreign policy and federal spending decisions.
The Trump administration described the lower court’s order as imposing “an untenable payment plan at odds with the President’s obligations under Article II to protect the integrity of the federal fisc and make appropriate judgements about foreign aid – clear forms of irreparable harm.”
Harris further emphasized that the lower court’s order “appears to contemplate the immediate outlay of nearly $2 billion” and had “thrown what should be an orderly review by the government into chaos.”
This legal battle represents a significant milestone in President Trump’s efforts to reshape America’s approach to foreign aid. The administration recently announced plans to cut over 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in U.S. assistance globally, marking a dramatic shift from decades of establishment foreign policy that poured American taxpayer dollars into overseas projects with questionable returns.
Administration officials have justified the sweeping cuts as necessary for “clearing significant waste stemming from decades of institutional drift.” Both President Trump and Elon Musk have been vocal critics of foreign aid programs, arguing that they often promote liberal agendas abroad while neglecting American interests.
America is very quickly getting back on track.
