US Supreme Court allows Trump admin to block $4 billion in foreign aid, halting lower court order

The US Supreme Court on Friday (Sept 26) gave another victory to the Trump administration by allowing it to block $4 billion in foreign aid that had been approved by Congress.

A lower court had ruled that the administration must release the funds by the end of the month, but the Supreme Court’s decision temporarily stopped that order.

“This result further erodes separation of powers principles that are fundamental to our constitutional order. It will also have a grave humanitarian impact,” said Nicolas Sansome, a lawyer with the Public Citizen Litigation Group, which represents nonprofits that sued the government.

Court cites foreign policy concerns

The Supreme Court’s brief order said the administration had made a “sufficient showing” that the groups suing were not allowed to bring the case under the Impoundment Control Act. The justices also noted that the government’s foreign policy concerns outweighed the possible harm to the aid groups.

The court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, has now approved 20 emergency applications from the administration since President Donald Trump’s second term began in January. Legal experts and lower court judges have criticized the high court for siding so often with the government through emergency rulings without full hearings.

Dissent from liberal justices

The three liberal justices dissented. Justice Elena Kagan wrote that the court had entered “uncharted territory,” since the legal question in this case had never been tested before. She argued the court should have let the lower courts handle the matter, holding hearings and issuing full opinions.

“We therefore should have denied this application, allowed the lower courts to go forward, and ensured that the weighty question presented here receives the consideration it deserves,” Kagan wrote.

Chief Justice John Roberts had earlier issued a temporary order on Sept. 9 that paused the lower court ruling, giving the Supreme Court time to decide its next steps.

Clash over spending powers

The Trump administration has told lawmakers it will not spend the foreign aid funds, part of a broader push to expand presidential power over Congress. This move has sparked debate over whether the president can legally refuse to spend money once Congress has approved it, since the Constitution gives spending authority to lawmakers.

After the ruling, Democrats urged Congress to defend its authority over federal spending, even as lawmakers are already locked in a budget fight that could trigger a government shutdown.

“Republicans should join Democrats to stand up for our power of the purse,” said Sen. Patty Murray of Washington and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut in a joint statement.