THE US Supreme Court has ruled against President Donald Trump’s attempt to freeze $2bn in foreign aid payments, marking a significant legal defeat for his administration.
In a 5-4 decision, the court upheld a lower court order requiring the disbursement of funds for aid contracts already completed. According to AFP, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a Trump appointee, sided with the court’s three liberal justices in rejecting the freeze.
Legal battle over foreign aid
The dispute began when District Judge Amir Ali, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, issued an order preventing the Trump administration from suspending foreign assistance funds. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) praised the Supreme Court’s decision, calling Trump’s actions ‘a reckless, cruel, and unprecedented abuse of executive power.’
Justice Samuel Alito, in a strongly worded dissent joined by three other conservative justices, argued that a single judge should not have the authority to force the government to spend taxpayer dollars in this manner. ‘I am stunned,’ Alito wrote, criticising the majority ruling.
Impact on African healthcare programmes
Trump’s bid to scale back US foreign aid has already had severe consequences for humanitarian and healthcare initiatives across Africa. USAID, which funds critical medical and emergency relief programmes in over 120 countries, has faced significant budget cuts.
Health officials warn that reductions in aid have disrupted vaccination drives, maternal health services, and HIV treatment programmes in several African nations. Many clinics that relied on US assistance have reported shortages of essential medical supplies, putting vulnerable populations at greater risk.
Trump and Musk target USAID
Trump, backed by his top donor Elon Musk, has launched a broader effort to shrink or dismantle large sections of the US government, with USAID as a key target. He has described the agency as being ‘run by radical lunatics,’ while Musk has called it a ‘criminal organisation’ that should be ‘put through the woodchipper.’
Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, Trump’s campaign against foreign aid is expected to continue, raising concerns over the future of US-funded humanitarian assistance worldwide.
