Abdelrahman
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. delivered a temporary win for the Trump administration on Wednesday evening by ruling that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department are not required to immediately release over $1.5 billion for completed foreign aid projects.
A federal judge had issued a deadline at midnight for these agencies to disburse the funds, which had been held back following President Trump’s directive aimed at significantly reducing U.S. overseas spending right from his first day in office.
In an urgent appeal to the Supreme Court just hours before the deadline, the Trump administration argued that the judge had exceeded his jurisdiction and interfered with the president’s duty to make crucial decisions regarding foreign aid allocations.
Chief Justice Roberts implemented an “administrative stay” as a temporary measure to maintain the current situation while the Supreme Court reviews the case more thoroughly. He instructed the challengers to provide a response by Friday, and the Supreme Court is expected to render a decision shortly thereafter.
While the stay is a provisional measure, it marks the administration’s initial success amid a series of legal challenges related to President Trump’s executive actions. Additionally, in a bold step on Wednesday, the Trump administration announced the termination of nearly 10,000 contracts and grants associated with USAID and the State Department, further advancing the president’s directives.
