Supreme Court Allows Trump to Freeze $4.9 Billion in Foreign Aid

The Supreme Court of the United States ruled 6-3 to allow the administration of Donald Trump to freeze approximately $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid. The emergency ruling blocks a September 3 order from District Judge Amir Ali, who had previously determined the freeze was likely illegal and required the funds to be dispersed.

President Trump utilized a rare procedural move known as a "pocket rescission," notifying House Speaker Mike Johnson of the cancellations late in the fiscal year to bypass legislative approval. This maneuver ensures funds lapse upon their September 30 expiration. The frozen assets include $3.2 billion in USAID development assistance, $521 million for international organizations, and $322 million from the USAID-State Department Democracy Fund.

The conservative majority held that the president's authority in conducting foreign affairs outweighs the potential harm to aid recipients, though the court clarified the decision is an interim view and not a final judgment. Justice Elena Kagan, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented. Kagan argued the freeze violates the separation of powers and criticized the court's reliance on the emergency docket with "scant briefing" and no oral argument.

The White House Office of Management and Budget called the ruling a "massive victory" for presidential authority. Meanwhile, the legal conflict coincides with Secretary of State Marco Rubio's efforts to dismantle USAID by merging its programs into the State Department, a move humanitarian groups warn could increase global mortality.