Trump Urges MA To Intervene To Stop Expenditure Foreign Aid Expenditures

JAKARTA - The administration of US President Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court (MA) to intervene in the dispute over billions of dollars worth of foreign aid funds.

Reported by ANTARA from Anadolu, Wednesday, August 27, the Justice Department filed an emergency appeal so that the decision was taken before September 2, citing an irreparable diplomatic cost risk.

Although an appeals court has ruled in favor of Trump earlier this month, an order from a lower court requiring the disbursement of the funds for foreign aid remains in effect.

In the filing document, the government argues that unless the Supreme Court acts, lower court decisions will effectively force the government to immediately allocate around $12 billion (Rp197 trillion) of foreign aid funds, which could undermine government foreign policy.

Earlier this month, a panel consisting of three judges at the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit ruled that only Congress could sue the government for changes in approved spending, not non-profit groups filing a lawsuit over the budget cuts plan.

This decision overturned a lower court ruling that previously prevented the government from continuing to cut the funds.

The case has now been appealed to all judges at the DC Circuit, who are still reviewing the case.

The lower court refused to suspend the district court ruling which was canceled against Trump, so the mandate to issue funds remains in effect.