Trump foreign aid freeze to stay for now, US Supreme Court chief rules

The decision goes against a lower court judge's ruling that the government had to pay aid contractors.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersTrump foreign aid freeze to stay for now, US Supreme Court chief rules1 day agoShareSavePaulin KolaBBC NewsShareSaveGetty ImagesSupreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts' intervention came as the administration faced a midnight deadlineThe top judge in the United States has given temporary backing to the Trump administration's freeze on foreign aid payments.

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts' intervention came as the administration faced a midnight deadline (05:00 GMT on Thursday) to pay contractors.

Officials had argued that they could not process the payments within the timeframe set by a lower court judge.

Since coming to power in January, US President Donald Trump has taken quick action to end many aid programmes, largely run by the US Agency for International Development, USAID, and placed most of its staff on administrative leave or sacked them.

The Trump administration is seeking to shrink the federal workforce and cut costs in a drive led by Elon Musk.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgwwp2gd3jo

---