Trump’s Foreign Aid Freeze Remains in Place, Supreme Court Chief Rules
Top US judge temporarily backs administration’s hold on aid payments
US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts has granted temporary support to the Trump administration’s decision to freeze foreign aid payments, following a legal challenge against the move.
The ruling came as the administration faced a midnight deadline (05:00 GMT Thursday) to issue payments to contractors, as mandated by a lower court ruling. Officials argued they were unable to process the payments within the timeframe set by US District Judge Amir Ali.
Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has acted swiftly to dismantle numerous aid programs, primarily overseen by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The administration has placed most of USAID’s staff on administrative leave or terminated their employment as part of broader efforts to reduce federal spending.
USAID Staff Cut as Foreign Aid Programs Halted
The Trump administration, led by billionaire adviser Elon Musk in its cost-cutting drive, has sought to downsize the federal workforce. Over the weekend, Musk instructed millions of government employees to submit reports detailing their accomplishments for the past week—a move that sparked widespread backlash and internal disputes within government departments.
Judge Ali had previously ordered the State Department and USAID to release approximately $2 billion (£1.6bn) in outstanding payments to contractors by Wednesday’s deadline. However, as the cutoff approached, the administration appealed to the Supreme Court, claiming it was infeasible to process the payments in an organized manner within the given timeframe.
The freeze is part of a broader review of US foreign aid funding. Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris argued that Judge Ali’s directive had disrupted what was meant to be a structured assessment of government expenditures. The aid cutbacks have already had a significant impact on international assistance programs, stalling hundreds of initiatives worldwide.
US Foreign Aid Faces Major Reductions
The United States is the largest single contributor to global humanitarian aid, with operations in more than 60 countries and projects in numerous others. Much of its foreign assistance is implemented through private contractors.
According to reports from the Associated Press, the Trump administration aims to reduce over 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts, effectively slashing $60 billion from US overseas assistance. The move has sent shockwaves through the global aid sector, as many critical programs remain in limbo.
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