SCOTUS Blocks the Freezing of USAID Funds

[gleem]

In a vote of 5 to 4 with the help of the Conservative justices Roberts and Barrett, joined the liberal justices to unfreeze $2 B in USAID funds.
The Court said that the judge who first stopped the freeze “should clarify what obligations the government must fulfill.”
sever

This decision may have saved the Trump administration from a possible negative effect on US farmers.

That said, what if Trump does not honor this decision?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Seems like a "soft" opportunity for Trump to ignore the court? @gleem do you have a source for the story?

 

[placebo]

Here's the story in the NY Times.

Trump Live Updates: Supreme Court Denies Bid to Freeze Nearly $2 Billion in Foreign Aid

www.nytimes.com

 

[gleem]

Seems like a "soft" opportunity for Trump to ignore the court?

The only way to respond to this is for the Congress to react, which it has not demonstrated an ability to do so far.
If he does, the only consequence that I can see is an escalation of his defiance to considerably more serious domestic issues and more serious consequences.

 

[placebo]

The federal government did ignore the original court order and was reprimanded by the judge.

https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/25/g-s1-50701/usaid-freeze-judge

Ali first ordered Trump officials to reopen the flow of funding to thousands of aid projects on Feb.13. But in a telephone hearing Tuesday, he said the Trump administration has provided no evidence it has done so.

During the hearing, a Justice Department attorney said he was not in a position to answer whether the government had resumed payments.

"I don't know why I can't get a straight answer from you," said Ali, who has grown increasingly impatient with the government.

 

[placebo]

The only way to respond to this is for the Congress to react, which it has not demonstrated an ability to do so far.

Congress won't be able to do anything really. It's the executive branch which is responsible for enforcing court orders, and the worry is that Trump will order the U.S. Marshals to stand down. The only hope is that since the marshals take an oath to the Constitution, they will ignore Trump's illegal order.

 

[gleem]

Congress won't be able to do anything really. It's the executive branch which is responsible for enforcing court orders, and the worry is that Trump will order the U.S. Marshals to stand down. The only hope is that since the marshals take an oath to the Constitution, they will ignore Trump's illegal order.

I do not know what remedy, if any, except contempt, is of consequence if he refuses. What would happen if they did come for him? Does he really have a get out of jail card? What would the Secret Service do? Being Commander in Chief of the armed forces, could he be "relieved of command" as even generals can giving an unconstitutional order? Again, what would the Secret Service do?

It seems impeachment is the only remedy. And even impeached if he refused to leave the White House, who is supposed to enforce it.

EDIT: I forgot Andrew Jackson disobeyed a SC order to not remove the Cherokee indian tribe from Georgia. There was no consequence. Trump has a portrait of Jackson prominently displayed in the Oval Office.

 

[placebo]

The phrase that comes to mind is "constitutional crisis."

 

[gleem]

The phrase that comes to mind is "constitutional crisis."

National crisis.

 

[Borg]

It seems impeachment is the only remedy.

Impeachment at this point would only inflame his base more. They will have to feel enormous pain from his policies before anything will change (a little pain and they can just blame Biden) For now, I'm just hoping that he can be slowed down.

The only way that this ends is with marches of the magnitude of the Civil Rights marches in the 60's. Then we have a chance that Congress will listen.

 

[placebo]

Impeachment at this point would only inflame his base more.

Plus it would only be politically viable after a large part of his base turns against him, which will probably only happen after they suffer enormous pain and finally admit to themselves Trump's the problem.