Washington, February 27 (HS): Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts on Wednesday stayed the order to pay two billion dollars in foreign aid to the Trump administration by midnight. The Trump administration had claimed that it was unable to make the payment at the limit set by the lower court.

According to CNN news, this issue, which reached the country’s Supreme Court, could put the judges on a collision course with President Donald Trump’s broader efforts to consolidate power within the executive branch. Chief Justice Roberts’ order does not resolve the underlying questions raised in the case. Rather, it has imposed an administrative stay to give the court a few days to review the written arguments in the case.

The Chief Justice asked the groups suing the administration to respond by Friday. The Trump administration reached the Supreme Court late Wednesday night, hours before the midnight deadline, and urged the judges to take immediate action. Trump has reached the court for the second time since taking office last month. Another pending case involving Trump concerns the president’s dismissal of leadership in the special counsel’s office.

At issue in the new appeal is billions of dollars in foreign aid from the State Department and the United States Agency for International Development that Trump withheld in January. US District Judge Ameer Ali, nominated by former President Joe Biden, had granted a temporary order to release that money while the case was considered. Ali had ordered the payments to be made by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. The Trump administration has told the court it will take several weeks to meet the judge’s request.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar