The Trump administration is turning to the U.S. Supreme Court in an attempt to withhold roughly $4 billion in foreign aid, a move that could reshape U.S. assistance abroad and spark a showdown over executive authority.
The Justice Department asked the high court to overturn a September 3 ruling by U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, who ordered officials to spend the funds as allocated by Congress. A federal appeals court recently refused to pause the order, leaving the administration’s path blocked.
The disputed money is part of the billions Congress allocated for international aid last year, about $11 billion of which must be spent or obligated by September 30, the end of the fiscal year, or risk expiring, according to Reuters. Following a lawsuit by aid groups, the administration pledged to spend $6.5 billion, while seeking to block $4 billion through a rarely used “pocket rescission,” which allows the president to temporarily halt funds without congressional approval.
Legal filings, as noted by Reuters, describe the court’s injunction as a “grave and urgent threat to the separation of powers,” while plaintiffs say the administration is attempting to “unlawfully accumulate power.”
Observers warn that delays could affect a range of programs, including global health initiatives like PEPFAR, U.N. peacekeeping in conflict zones, democracy and governance programs, and humanitarian aid to refugees in Yemen, Syria, and Venezuela.
The Supreme Court conservative majority could determine not only the fate of the funds but also set a precedent for the limits of executive control over foreign aid.
