The U.S. Supreme Court on September 26, 2025, permitted President Donald Trump to withhold the execution of a $4 billion (approximately 5.64 trillion KRW) international aid budget previously approved by Congress.

The six conservative justices forming the majority stated in their decision that "the president's authority in conducting foreign affairs appears to take precedence over the potential harm to international aid recipients," according to reports from Bloomberg and The New York Times (NYT).

In contrast, the three liberal justices dissented, arguing that the issue directly concerns the allocation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.

The Supreme Court clarified, however, that this decision is not final and serves as a temporary measure while litigation continues in lower courts. Two lawsuits filed by nonprofit organizations and companies involved in international aid are currently proceeding in lower courts.

Last month, President Trump invoked powers under the Impoundment Control Act to declare that he would not execute foreign aid and funding for international organizations that contradict his "America First" policy.The move targets the fact that the funds will automatically lapse if not spent by the fiscal year-end on September 30. This "workaround" appears designed to effectively cut congressional appropriations without approval, if they conflict with the government's policy direction.

Source: Yonhap News