Wed Mar 05 15:12:10 UTC 2025: **Supreme Court Blocks Trump’s Attempt to Freeze $2 Billion in Foreign Aid**
Washington, D.C. – March 5, 2025 – In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to freeze approximately $2 billion in foreign aid payments. The ruling upholds a lower court order requiring the disbursement of funds for completed contracts with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett sided with the liberal justices in the majority opinion, which instructed the lower court to clarify the government’s obligations. However, Justice Samuel Alito, in a dissenting opinion joined by three other conservative justices, strongly criticized the decision, questioning the lower court’s authority to compel such a large payment.
The dispute stems from Trump’s campaign, spearheaded by Elon Musk, to significantly reduce or eliminate parts of the U.S. government. USAID, responsible for distributing humanitarian aid to approximately 120 countries, has been a primary target of this campaign, with Trump labeling it as “run by radical lunatics” and Musk calling it a “criminal organization.”
The lower court’s temporary restraining order, issued last month by Judge Amir Ali, prevented the Trump administration from halting the foreign aid payments. The Supreme Court’s decision represents a significant early legal setback for the Trump administration.
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