Chief Justice John Roberts’ recent order has set the stage for a potential clash between the White House and the Supreme Court over the quick disbursement of nearly $2 billion in foreign aid by President Donald Trump’s administration. The situation is expected to reach a critical point as early as Friday.
Shortly before the midnight deadline on Wednesday, Chief Justice Roberts issued a temporary halt in the case, allowing time for the justices to review arguments presented by the Trump administration and the nonprofit organizations that had filed a lawsuit against the weeks-old funding freeze. This legal dispute marks the second major appeal from Trump officials to be expedited to the nation’s highest court.
While Chief Justice Roberts did not specify a timeline for the court’s decision, he did instruct the nonprofits to respond to the administration’s appeal by noon ET on Friday. This indicates that the court is making efforts to address the urgent matter before the weekend.
Until the Supreme Court reaches a resolution on this emergency case, the Trump administration retains the ability to postpone the allocation of the contested funds.
The core of the current appeal revolves around the freezing of billions of dollars in foreign aid by the State Department and USAID in January. President Trump initiated this freeze as part of his efforts to tighten federal spending and align it more closely with his policy objectives. US District Judge Amir Ali, appointed by former President Joe Biden, had previously issued a temporary order mandating the release of these funds. However, the Trump administration cited difficulties in meeting the judge’s perceived 'arbitrary' deadline for reinstating the aid.
