Trump administration granted approval to halt or terminate billions in foreign aid by decision of the appeals court
In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has ruled that the Trump administration can legally suspend or terminate billions of dollars of congressionally appropriated foreign aid. The court found that the grant recipients challenging the freeze did not have a valid legal basis for the court to hear their claims and failed to meet the requirements for a preliminary injunction restoring the aid.
The ruling, made by a panel of three judges, was procedural and did not decide on the constitutionality or merits of the government’s action. President Trump issued the executive order in January 2025, pausing foreign aid spending for a policy review consistent with his “America First” agenda.
Judge Florence Pan, who dissented from the majority opinion, asserted that the president lacks the authority to disregard laws for policy reasons. She argued that the ruling improperly lets the executive branch evade judicial review.
The aid frozen included large sums for USAID global health and HIV/AIDS programs. The suspension was part of a policy to realign foreign aid with administration priorities.
After groups of grant recipients sued to challenge that order, U.S. District Judge Amir Ali ordered the administration to release the full amount of foreign assistance that Congress had appropriated for the 2024 budget year. However, the appeals court partially vacated Ali’s order on the basis that the plaintiffs lacked standing or cause of action.
The majority opinion, according to Pan, misconstrues the separation-of-powers claim brought by the grantees, misapplies precedent, and allows Executive Branch officials to evade judicial review of constitutionally impermissible actions.
Despite Pan's dissent, the court's ruling means that the Trump administration currently has legal precedent supporting its ability to suspend or terminate the appropriated foreign aid, at least procedurally through this appeals decision. However, the question of whether this action violates constitutional powers or statutory law remains unresolved in this case.
[1] Associated Press. (2025). Court lets Trump administration freeze billions in foreign aid. [online] Available at: https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-international-relations-health-government-and-politics-d918f25e86a1a20e565df4c8b3b9ef8b
[2] The Hill. (2025). Court rules Trump administration can freeze foreign aid. [online] Available at: https://thehill.com/policy/international/565223-court-rules-trump-administration-can-freeze-foreign-aid
[3] The New York Times. (2025). Trump Freezes Billions in Foreign Aid for Policy Review. [online] Available at: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/20/us/politics/trump-foreign-aid-freeze.html
- In a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the Trump administration's ability to suspend billions in foreign aid, easing the way for policy changes aligned with the "America First" agenda.
- The ruling, however, was procedural and did not address the constitutionality or merits of the government's action, leaving the question of whether this action violates constitutional powers or statutory law unresolved.
- Judge Florence Pan, who dissented from the majority opinion, argued that the president lacks the authority to disregard laws for policy reasons and that the ruling improperly lets the executive branch evade judicial review.
- The aid frozen included large sums for USAID global health and HIV/AIDS programs, raising concerns among health advocates in California and beyond about potential implications for general-news and policy-and-legislation related to health and foreign aid.
- USC Law and UCLA School of Law students may have differing opinions on this issue, given the ramifications it has on international law, politics, and the separation of powers.
- In Los Angeles, residents may keep a close eye on developments in this case, as the city houses numerous organizations that rely on foreign aid for various programs, and any changes in funding could impact the local community's general news and politics landscape.
