Supreme Court extends order allowing Trump administration to keep $4.9B in foreign aid frozen
The Supreme Court issued an unsigned emergency order extending Chief Justice John Roberts’ Sept. 9 temporary block, allowing the Trump administration to continue withholding about $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid pending further review; the decision was reported as a 6–3 vote with Justices Kagan, Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting. The administration invoked an Aug. 28 "pocket rescission" — described as the first use in about 50 years — and the Justice Department sought emergency relief after U.S. District Judge Amir Ali ruled the rescission likely violated the law.
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Supreme Court extends Trump administration's $5 billion foreign aid freeze amid ongoing legal challenge
New information:
- Supreme Court majority vote count reported as 6–3.
- Identification of dissenting justices: Elena Kagan joined by Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
- Context that the administration invoked a 'pocket rescission'—described as the first use in about 50 years—and DOJ sought emergency relief from the high court.
- Reference to Chief Justice John Roberts' prior temporary block issued Sept. 9 and District Judge Amir Ali's prior ruling criticizing the withholding.
Supreme Court keeps in place Trump funding freeze that threatens billions of dollars in foreign aid
New information:
- The full Supreme Court indefinitely extended Chief Justice Roberts' Sept. 9 temporary block, allowing the administration to continue withholding about $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid.
- Three liberal justices (Kagan, Sotomayor, Jackson) dissented; Justice Elena Kagan wrote the dissent quoted in the article.
- The piece restates the legal mechanism invoked — a 'pocket rescission' submitted Aug. 28 — and notes U.S. District Judge Amir Ali had ruled the rescission likely illegal before the emergency appeal to the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court lets Trump withhold $4 billion in foreign aid approved by Congress
New information:
- Supreme Court issued an unsigned emergency order on Friday permitting the executive branch to withhold >$4 billion in foreign‑aid funds pending further review
- President Trump notified Congress he seeks to rescind $4.9 billion via a 'pocket rescission' and paused overseas development assistance for 90 days
- A district court (Judge Amir Ali) previously ruled the administration likely violated the law by refusing to spend congressionally appropriated funds; the D.C. Circuit issued an amended opinion leaving some claims open