Trump Administration Seeks Supreme Court Block on $4 Billion Foreign Aid

The Trump administration has asked the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency order to allow it to withhold nearly $5 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid, challenging a lower court ruling that ordered the funds to be released. President Trump invoked a pocket rescission, a rarely used presidential authority, to freeze the aid without congressional approval, prompting legal challenges and a federal judge ruling the move likely illegal. The administration argues that forcing the release of the funds would threaten the separation of powers and interfere with diplomatic efforts, while opponents contend that the freeze violates federal law and disrupts critical foreign aid programs. The Supreme Court, which has recently ruled favorably on several executive authority claims by the Trump administration, is now being asked to pause the lower court's order requiring the payout. This case is part of a broader pattern of the administration seeking expansive executive power over federal spending, raising significant constitutional questions about the limits of presidential authority over appropriated funds. The legal battle continues to unfold amid concerns over the impact on foreign policy and aid programs abroad.