The administration’s efforts to effectively dismantle the foreign aid agency led contractors to file suit claiming they're owed money.

Summary

The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, rejected the Trump administration’s bid to delay paying $2 billion to USAID contractors, upholding U.S. District Judge Amir Ali’s authority.

The administration had frozen these funds, impacting essential projects in Ukraine, Nigeria, and various African nations, causing significant disruptions and layoffs.

The narrow decision does not compel immediate payment but allows the lower court proceedings to advance.

Justice Alito led the 4 conservative justices who dissented and questioned Judge Ali’s judicial power.

  • Rentlar@lemmy.ca
    15·
    1 day ago

    “Does a single district-court judge who likely lacks jurisdiction have the unchecked power to compel the government of the United States to pay out (and probably lose forever) 2 billion taxpayer dollars?” Alito wrote in a dissent joined by the three other conservative justices.

    Wait until Alito sees Elon Musk…

    “A federal court has many tools to address a party’s supposed nonfeasance,” Alito said. “Self-aggrandizement of its jurisdiction is not one of them.”

    About that…

    • ceenote@lemmy.world
      32·
      1 day ago

      The fact that 4 supreme court justices signed onto “A judge shouldn’t have the power to order the president to spend money the way congress told him to, as explicitly described in the constitution” is terrifying. Wholly unsurprising, but terrifying.

      • ShepherdPie
        11·
        1 day ago

        They have to lay the groundwork to condition people into thinking that the president can just ignore the courts in the near future.

      • Rentlar@lemmy.ca
        11·
        1 day ago

        Yeah, if these 4 are purposefully ignoring Congress’ role here, this gives me little hope that the Trump Court of the United States will properly do their duty when other cases come to their door.