U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the 80th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 23, 2025. REUTERS/MIKE SEGAR
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday granted the Trump administration a temporary green light to withhold $4 billion in foreign aid appropriated by Congress, in a high-stakes dispute over presidential control of government spending. The ruling is a preliminary measure while litigation over the issue continues.
In a brief order, the court’s conservative majority sided with the administration, concluding that the president’s flexibility in foreign affairs outweighed “the potential harm” to aid recipients. The justices stressed that the decision should not be interpreted as a final ruling on the merits of the case.
Three liberal justices—Elena Kagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Ketanji Brown Jackson—dissented, arguing that the case was too consequential to be resolved on an emergency basis. Justice Kagan warned that the interim order would prevent the $4 billion from reaching foreign aid organizations, regardless of the ultimate outcome.
“This result further erodes separation of powers principles that are fundamental to our constitutional order,” said Nicolas Sansone, attorney for the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, one of the nonprofit organizations challenging the freeze. “It will also have a grave humanitarian impact on vulnerable communities throughout the world.”
The dispute centers on an executive order issued by President Trump on his first day in office, which paused foreign aid spending pending a review to ensure alignment with his foreign policy priorities. The administration has proposed rescinding the appropriated funds, arguing that unless Congress acts, the money would expire at the end of the fiscal year.
The aid includes billions designated for global food security, trade capacity-building programs, and support for victims of torture. Nonprofits argue that the administration’s approach violates Congress’s constitutional authority over spending.
The case has reached the Supreme Court multiple times since Trump returned to office, with prior emergency requests shaping interim rulings on immigration, military service, and regulatory protections. Friday’s order, issued by the six-justice conservative majority, allows the administration to pause aid while negotiations and litigation continue.
In their dissent, the liberal justices emphasized that the Impoundment Control Act does not shield the administration from lawsuits challenging the withholding of appropriated funds. “But that is just the price of living under a Constitution that gives Congress the power to make spending decisions through the enactment of appropriations laws,” Justice Kagan wrote.
The ruling underscores ongoing tensions between executive authority and Congress over fiscal control, with wide-reaching implications for foreign aid and domestic governance.
Source – My News Ghana
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