Supreme Court rejects Trump’s foreign aid freeze, but full impact remains unclear

The US Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected President Donald Trump’s emergency request to freeze nearly $2 billion in foreign aid, a decision that signals judicial scrutiny of his administration’s efforts to reshape federal spending, according to the New York Times.

The five-four ruling, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining the court’s liberal justices, leaves in place a lower court order requiring the administration to release aid funds. However, the decision also calls for clarification on what obligations the government must meet, leaving open questions about enforcement.

The aid freeze was part of Trump’s broader push to dismantle USAID, arguing that many programs were wasteful or counter to American interests. The administration had already terminated about 90 percent of USAID contracts, leading to widespread disruptions in global aid efforts, including halted food shipments and medical supply shortages.

The ruling comes as lawsuits challenging the cuts continue to move through the courts. The administration maintains it has the authority to end aid programs at its discretion, setting the stage for further legal battles. Meanwhile, humanitarian groups and congressional Democrats argue that the Supreme Court’s decision should force a full restoration of funding, though the administration appears poised to resist compliance.

Judge Amir Ali, who originally ruled against the administration, is expected to hold a hearing Thursday to determine whether to impose a stronger injunction requiring the aid’s release.