In a close 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the Trump administration must pay foreign aid organizations for work they have already completed.
The court upheld a previous ruling by U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, who ordered the government to release nearly $2 billion owed to contractors and grant recipients working with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the State Department. Four conservative justices; Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh disagreed with the decision.
Chief Justice John Roberts had temporarily paused Ali’s ruling before the February 26 deadline to allow time for review. However, the Supreme Court ultimately decided not to block the ruling and instructed Ali to clarify the government’s responsibilities.
Trump, following his “America First” policy, froze all foreign aid for 90 days after returning to office on January 20. This decision stopped USAID programs worldwide, delaying food and medical assistance to many people in need. Aid organizations took legal action, arguing that Trump exceeded his authority by shutting down a federal agency and ignoring Congress’s approved spending plans.
Judge Ali has extended the restraining order until March 10 and will hold a hearing on Thursday to decide whether to issue a longer-term ruling.
