Trump’s Fight Over $2 Billion USAID Payments Ends in Supreme Court Defeat

The U.S. Supreme Court, which is divided, rejected former President Donald Trump’s plea on Wednesday to stop the distribution of around $2 billion in foreign aid.

In a 5-4 verdict, the justices maintained a decision by a lower court that required the government to pay for contracts that were completed.
The court’s decision is the first significant one on a case involving Trump since he took office again.

The justices said the federal judge who mandated the continuance of payments for contracts with the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) “should clarify what obligations the Government must fulfill.”
Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a Trump appointment, and Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s three liberal justices in drafting the majority opinion.

Three other conservative justices joined Justice Samuel Alito in dissenting from the decision, expressing strong opposition.

“Is it possible for a single district court judge who probably lacks jurisdiction to have unfettered authority to order the US government to pay out two billion taxpayer dollars that it will most likely lose forever?” Alito was the author.

The answer to that issue ought to be a resounding “no,” but it seems that most of this Court disagrees. “Shocked,” he continued.

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The controversy stems from a decision made last month by District Judge Amir Ali, a Biden appointment, who issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting the Trump administration from “suspending, pausing, or otherwise preventing” the flow of foreign aid funding as reported by AFP.

Trump has been leading a push to reduce or abolish certain parts of the US government, supported by billionaire Elon Musk, his biggest donor.

This campaign has mostly targeted USAID, the organization in charge of delivering U.S. humanitarian aid through disaster relief and health programs in almost 120 nations.

Although Musk has called USAID a “criminal organization” that ought to be “put through the woodchipper,” Trump has previously called the organization “run by radical lunatics.”