Former President Donald Trump has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene in an ongoing legal battle over billions of dollars in foreign aid funding that his administration is attempting to prevent from being disbursed.
In an emergency appeal filed Tuesday, the Trump administration warned that a lower court ruling could force the release of approximately $12 billion in foreign aid unless the justices act by next week. The filing argues that releasing the funds could result in “irreparable diplomatic costs” and undermine executive authority over foreign policy.
The dispute centers on the Trump administration’s efforts to withhold funding previously approved by Congress for global health and HIV/AIDS programs. Although a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that only Congress—not outside groups—can legally challenge such funding changes, a district court ordered the money to be distributed. That order remains in effect while the full D.C. Circuit continues to review the case.
In its appeal, the Justice Department accused the district court of overstepping its authority by effectively assuming control over federal spending decisions. It warned that unless the Supreme Court blocks the ruling by September 2, the government will be forced to release the funds by the end of the fiscal year on September 30—potentially causing lasting damage to U.S. foreign policy.
This isn’t the first time the dispute has reached the Supreme Court. In March, the justices declined a previous request to freeze the funds, allowing the case to continue through the lower courts.
