Supreme Court Orders Trump Administration to Release $2 Billion in USAID Funds

The 5-4 ruling rejects the administration's freeze on foreign aid payments for completed projects, marking a setback for Trump's second-term policies.

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against the Trump administration's request to block a lower court order requiring the release of nearly $2 billion in USAID funds for completed work.
The funds were frozen as part of President Trump's executive order halting foreign aid, a move challenged by aid groups and nonprofits as unconstitutional.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court's three liberal justices in the majority, while four conservative justices dissented, citing concerns over judicial overreach.
The court's order upholds a lower court's ruling but directs the District Court to clarify the government's compliance obligations and establish feasible timelines for payment.
This decision is one of the first major legal setbacks for Trump's efforts to reshape the federal government and cut foreign aid during his second term.