Chief Justice Roberts allows Trump administration to continue freeze on foreign aid payments

Chief Justice John Roberts issued an administrative stay on Wednesday night, as reported by the New York Times, allowing the Trump administration to continue withholding more than $1.5 billion in foreign aid payments. USAID and the State Department had been ordered by a federal judge to release funds for previously approved aid projects, but the administration sought Supreme Court intervention, arguing that the judiciary was overstepping into executive authority on foreign aid policy.

While the stay is temporary, it marks the first legal win for the administration amid a wave of lawsuits challenging President Trump’s aggressive rollback of foreign aid. The administration has already terminated nearly 10,000 USAID and State Department contracts, a move that has stunned diplomats and aid workers. Critics argue that cutting off foreign assistance undermines U.S. global influence and endangers critical humanitarian efforts.

Despite prior exemptions for programs like the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), aid organizations report ongoing funding shortfalls, affecting food assistance, medical supplies, and disaster relief operations. The Supreme Court is expected to weigh in soon on the broader legal battle over Trump’s foreign aid cuts.