On Thursday, the US Supreme Court paused a judge’s order that required the Trump administration to release billions of dollars meant for foreign aid. Chief Justice John Roberts stated that the lower court’s decision would be on hold until the Supreme Court can review it in detail.
What the Judge Said
Judge Amir H Ali ruled that the Trump administration must stop its freeze on foreign aid while a lawsuit by some nonprofit groups and businesses is still in progress. Previously, an appellate court had denied the government’s request to stop the judge’s order.
After an executive order by Trump, the government halted foreign assistance, which he labeled as wasteful and not fitting his global policy goals.
Big Cuts in Foreign Aid
On Thursday, the Trump administration announced plans to cut more than 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts and a total of $60 billion in aid worldwide. These cuts leave very few remaining projects for advocates to fight to save in ongoing legal battles.
Details about these cuts were shared in a confidential memo seen by the AP news agency and in court filings.
Trump and Musk Target Foreign Aid
Trump and his ally Elon Musk are working hard to shrink the size of the federal government, believing that USAID programs promote a liberal agenda and waste taxpayer money. On January 20, Trump ordered a review of all foreign aid programs, leading to an immediate stop of all foreign assistance funds.
This funding freeze has halted thousands of US-funded programs in other countries, and many USAID employees have been put on forced leave or fired.
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