The US Supreme Court on Friday ruled 6-3 that President Trump can withhold $4 billion in foreign aid approved by Congress.
The three liberal justices, Kagan, Sotomayor and Jackson, dissented.
Earlier this month, US District Judge Amir Ali, a Biden appointee, blocked President Trump from cutting billions of dollars in USAID and foreign aid that Congress authorized.
Judge Ali ordered Trump to spend the money by the end of the month. Trump immediately appealed.
According to CNBC, the Supreme Court said, “the asserted harms to the Executive’s conduct of foreign affairs appear to outweigh the potential harm.”
CNN reported:
The Supreme Court on Friday allowed President Donald Trump to freeze $4 billion in foreign aid payments, handing the White House a significant victory in its months-long quest to claw back spending that was approved by Congress last year.
At issue is $4 billion in foreign aid, including for global health and HIV programs, that was allocated by Congress, but that Trump deemed wasteful and has been fighting on two fronts. In addition to defending the aid cuts in federal court, his administration is also seeking to “rescind” the money through Congress.
Earlier this year, Judge Ali temporarily blocked President Trump from cancelling foreign aid contracts.
Judge Ali ordered the Trump Admin to restore funding for the foreign aid contractors after Trump froze US foreign aid for 90 days.
After Trump’s executive order to halt foreign aid grants, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued new guidance to temporarily pause spending on most foreign aid for 3 months.
Judge Ali previously said Trump’s order halting foreign funding caused enormous harm.
