President Trump just scored another major win at the Supreme Court, this time on the issue of foreign aid. In a 6-3 decision, the Court ruled that the Trump administration can move forward with canceling $4 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid, overturning a lower court decision that tried to force the administration to release the funds.
The case centered around Trump’s use of a rarely invoked maneuver called a “pocket rescission.” Under federal budget law, presidents can submit a request to Congress to rescind (or cancel) spending, but Congress typically has 45 days to respond. In this case, Trump waited until near the end of the fiscal year, September 30, to notify Congress. Because the 45-day review window extends past the budget deadline, the money expires before Congress can act, effectively killing the appropriation. It’s a strategy that hasn’t been used in half a century, but Trump’s team dusted it off to slash billions from foreign aid programs.
A Biden-appointed judge, Amir Ali, had blocked the move, calling it “likely illegal” and accusing the administration of trampling Congress’s spending authority. But the Supreme Court disagreed. In Friday’s ruling, the Court sided with Trump, allowing the administration to withhold the funds while the legal questions play out. Chief Justice John Roberts had already issued a temporary stay on September 9, but this new ruling makes it official: Trump can keep the foreign aid cuts in place.
Predictably, the three liberal justices dissented. Justice Elena Kagan blasted the decision, writing that the Court was venturing into “uncharted territory” by granting the administration’s request without hearing oral arguments or issuing a detailed opinion. She argued the lower courts should have been allowed to continue reviewing the case.
But for Trump, this decision is a clear green light. The president has made no secret of his disdain for sending taxpayer dollars overseas while America faces its own challenges. In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson last month, Trump made his case directly, saying Congress should not expect him to rubber-stamp foreign aid spending that undermines his administration’s priorities.
The ruling underscores the growing clash between Congress’s constitutional power of the purse and Trump’s aggressive use of executive authority. For his supporters, it’s another example of Trump putting America first and refusing to play by Washington’s old rules. For his critics, it’s a power grab. Either way, the Court’s decision is a major victory for Trump—and a reminder that, for now, the balance of power is tilting his way.
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