Supreme Court Sides With USAID, Overrides Trump’s Spending Freeze

The Supreme Court has delivered a blow to the Trump administration’s effort to block USAID payments, ruling in a 5-4 decision that nearly $2 billion must be paid out immediately. The decision forces the White House to fund organizations that critics argue promote leftist policies under the guise of humanitarian aid.

Justice Samuel Alito, in a fiery dissent, slammed the ruling as judicial overreach, calling it a “misstep” that hands control of federal spending to the courts. He argued that U.S. District Judge Amir Ali had exceeded his authority by imposing a strict timeline on the administration, forcing it to resume payments without proper review.

The administration had halted USAID funding as part of a broader government-wide reassessment of spending. Officials argued that foreign aid dollars were too often directed to activist groups rather than legitimate aid efforts.

Chief Justice John Roberts had issued a temporary pause on Ali’s ruling to give the administration time to respond. However, with the Supreme Court sending the case back to Ali, the judge now has complete control over the payment process.

Justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh sided with Alito in dissent, warning that the decision weakens the president’s authority over government finances.

Ali wasted no time after the ruling, quickly setting a hearing to finalize the payment schedule.

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