On September 9, 2025, the Supreme Court, through an administrative stay issued by Chief Justice John Roberts, temporarily allowed the Trump administration to withhold $4 billion in congressionally appropriated foreign aid. This order blocks a lower court's ruling that would have required the funds to be spent and gives the Supreme Court time to consider the case further, with the administration seeking to use its authority to cancel the funding. The groups challenging the administration have until Friday, September 12, 2025, to file a response.
What Happened Today
Administrative Stay: Chief Justice John Roberts issued an administrative stay, pausing a federal judge's order that required the Trump administration to spend $4 billion in foreign aid.
Purpose of the Stay: The stay provides temporary relief to the administration, giving the Supreme Court time to review the case and decide on further steps.
Underlying Issue: The case centers on the Trump administration's attempt to withhold billions in foreign aid that Congress had previously approved, a move that legal experts say challenges the constitution's "power of the purse".
Next Steps: The organizations that sued over the cuts are ordered to submit a response to the government's request by Friday afternoon.
Key Details
Amount: The
stay applies to approximately $4 billion in foreign aid funds.
Case
Context: The administration is trying to use a disputed presidential
authority to "cancel" the funds, a practice that has historically
been rare and is currently the subject of a broader legal challenge.
Current Funding: The decision comes as the Trump administration has notified Congress of its intent to withhold the funds before the end of the current federal funding period on September 30.
As of September 10, 2025, there have been no new Supreme Court rulings on US foreign aid. The most recent action was on Tuesday, September 9, when Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary administrative stay that allows the Trump administration to withhold $4 billion in foreign aid approved by Congress.
Key details
of the temporary stay
· What it does: The temporary order
freezes a lower court ruling that had required the administration to spend the
money by the end of the fiscal year, September 30. The stay gives the Supreme
Court more time to review the emergency appeal filed by the administration.
· The case background: The legal challenge
involves an attempt by the Trump administration to withhold billions in
congressionally appropriated foreign aid, which organizations like the Global
Health Council have argued is an overreach of executive power.
· Next steps: Justice Roberts has given the non-profits who sued until Friday, September 12, to respond to the administration's request. The full court is expected to rule on whether to issue a longer-lasting stay soon after.
Significance
of the stay
· Not a final ruling: This is not a
decision on the merits of the case but is a procedural step that allows the
funding to remain frozen for now.
· Potential for expiration: If the dispute
is not resolved before the fiscal year ends, the $4 billion could expire.
· Broader context: The foreign aid freeze
is part of a larger, long-running legal and political battle between the
administration and Congress over spending authority, including the status of
the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more
https://www.google.com/search?q=supreme+court+rulings+today+on+us+foreign+aid
Countries and regions affected
Reports from analysts, humanitarian groups, and news organizations indicate that this freeze, which adds to a broader dismantling of U.S. foreign aid efforts throughout 2025, impacts numerous countries, particularly those reliant on U.S. funding for health, food, and other essential services.
Countries
facing severe economic or humanitarian shocks:
· South Sudan: Highly dependent on
foreign aid, faces a significant economic shock.
· Somalia: Faces a major economic
disruption due to the freeze.
· Afghanistan: Already in a state of
crisis, a large portion of its population is in need of aid.
· Yemen: Already faces a severe
humanitarian crisis, with a vast majority of its population reliant on aid.
· Syria: Already faces a protracted
humanitarian crisis.
· Liberia: A developing country
facing a significant blow to its economy.
· Central African Republic: Faces a
significant economic shock.
· Micronesia: Faces an economic shock from the aid cut.
Countries
facing disruption to specific programs:
· Tanzania and Uganda: Have
experienced significant disruption to their HIV prevention services,
particularly those funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS
Relief (PEPFAR).
· Burma (Myanmar), Ethiopia, Haiti, and
Lebanon: Have been identified as experiencing humanitarian crises that
could be exacerbated by the freeze.
· Kenya, Honduras, Angola, Jordan, Eswatini: Rely on USAID for a substantial portion of their international support, and face potential program cuts.
Programs
impacted globally:
· The freeze targets funds designated
for global health, including HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.
· Humanitarian aid has been severely
affected, disrupting food, shelter, and medical assistance in fragile states.
· The virtual dismantling of
USAID in 2025 has already impacted development, education, and governance
programs in vulnerable regions worldwide.
Implications
of the freeze
· Uncertainty for aid groups: The
stay creates immediate and profound uncertainty for humanitarian organizations
that rely on U.S. funding to plan and operate.
· Funding expiration: If the freeze
remains in place, the $4 billion in question could expire at the end of the
fiscal year on September 30, 2025.
· Power of the purse: The legal battle centers on the president's authority to withhold congressionally approved funds, raising constitutional questions over which branch of government controls spending.
https://www.google.com/search?q=what+countries+are+affected+by+the+supreme+court+stay+on+foreign+aid
Norb Leahy,
Dunwoody Ga Tea Party Leader
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