(Reuters/Naija247news) – Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has asked the Supreme Court to intervene in its push to withhold billions of dollars in foreign aid, after lower courts blocked his funding freeze.
In an emergency filing on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice urged the court’s 6-3 conservative majority to lift an injunction requiring the government to continue aid disbursements.
The legal battle stems from Trump’s January 20 executive order, issued on the day of his second inauguration, which imposed a 90-day pause on all foreign aid. The move was followed by drastic restructuring efforts at USAID, including staff cuts and proposals to bring the aid agency under the State Department.
Two nonprofit organizations—the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition and the Journalism Development Network—sued, arguing the freeze was unlawful.
In March, the Supreme Court in a 5-4 ruling declined to let the Trump administration avoid paying nearly $2 billion in outstanding humanitarian aid, as ordered by Washington-based U.S. District Judge Amir Ali, a Biden appointee.
Earlier this month, a 2-1 panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled the injunction should be overturned, finding that only the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) could challenge Trump’s withholding of congressionally approved funding. However, the injunction remains in place after the full appeals court refused to stay it.
The administration warned that unless the justices intervene, the State Department will be forced to spend $12 billion in aid before September 30, when those funds are set to expire—undermining what it described as the executive branch’s foreign policy authority.
Lawyers for the nonprofits have yet to respond to the latest filing.
📌 Editor’s Note: For content partnerships and collaborations, reach out via editor@naija247news.com
Naija247news Media Group LLC is committed to ethical, independent journalism that serves the public interest. Our editorial process prioritizes accuracy, fairness, and transparency in reporting. All content is fact-checked and held to the highest standards of integrity. Learn more in our full editorial policy here.
© 2025 Naija247news Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from Naija247news Media Group LLC.
Reporting by David Okoroafor, News Writer in Lagos, Nigeria.
