Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Trump announces pocket rescission of $4.9bn in foreign aid via notification to House Speaker — Trump informed House Speaker Mike Johnson in late August that he would not spend $4.9bn in congressionally appropriated foreign aid, using a "pocket rescission" mechanism announced shortly before the 30 September fiscal year end. The funds were designated for UN organizations, peacekeeping operations, development assistance, and democracy-promotion projects. Trump characterized the spending as "woke, weaponized and wasteful." This was the first pocket rescission in 50 years, preventing Congress from acting within the required 45-day timeframe.

Supporting reports

• Federal appeals court rules Trump exceeded presidential authority on tariff imposition — A federal appeals court found that Trump overstepped his presidential authority when he imposed sweeping tariffs on dozens of countries earlier in 2025, including a 10% baseline tariff on nearly all U.S. trading partners and reciprocal tariffs on specific nations. The ruling sent shock waves across global markets. The Trump administration subsequently asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the appeals court decision.
• Trump administration petitions Supreme Court to overturn tariff ruling — Following a federal appeals court ruling that Trump exceeded his presidential authority in imposing sweeping tariffs, the Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the decision. Treasury Secretary Bessent expressed confidence the conservative-majority court would side with the administration, stating there were "numerous other avenues" available if the court ruled against them.
• Trump administration petitions Supreme Court to overturn tariff ruling and expedite decision — The Trump administration, through Solicitor General D John Sauer, filed with the Supreme Court requesting the justices decide by Wednesday 10 September whether to take the case. Sauer argued the appeals court's decision had "disrupted highly impactful sensitive ongoing diplomatic trade negotiations" and cast legal uncertainty over the president's tariff efforts. The administration requested oral argument in the first week of November and claimed any adverse ruling would "destroy" the US financial fabric.
• US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rules Trump's tariffs exceed presidential authority — The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled that Trump's tariffs "assert an expansive authority that is beyond the express limitations" of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), the law the administration invoked. The court found that the word "tariff" does not appear in IEEPA and questioned whether the statute grants the president sufficient power to impose tariffs. The appeals court paused its ruling, allowing tariffs to remain in place until 14 October while the case proceeds to the Supreme Court.

Supporting reports

• Trump administration petitions Supreme Court to overturn tariff ruling — Following a federal appeals court ruling that Trump exceeded his presidential authority in imposing sweeping tariffs, the Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the decision. Treasury Secretary Bessent expressed confidence the conservative-majority court would side with the administration, stating there were "numerous other avenues" available if the court ruled against them.
• Trump administration petitions Supreme Court to overturn tariff ruling and expedite decision — The Trump administration, through Solicitor General D John Sauer, filed with the Supreme Court requesting the justices decide by Wednesday 10 September whether to take the case. Sauer argued the appeals court's decision had "disrupted highly impactful sensitive ongoing diplomatic trade negotiations" and cast legal uncertainty over the president's tariff efforts. The administration requested oral argument in the first week of November and claimed any adverse ruling would "destroy" the US financial fabric.

Supporting reports

• Supreme Court authorized freezing of $4 billion in foreign aid — The Supreme Court temporarily authorized the Trump administration to freeze approximately $4 billion in foreign aid set to expire at the end of the fiscal year on September 30, which includes funding for global health and HIV/AIDS programs. The decision allowed the administration to prevent the spending of congressionally appropriated funds.
• Trump administration filed emergency appeal to freeze foreign aid — The Trump administration filed an emergency appeal asking the Supreme Court to authorize the freezing of billions of dollars in foreign aid after a lower court ruled it must spend the funds before they expire at the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The move seeks to override judicial authority over appropriated funds.
• Supreme Court temporarily halts lower court order requiring Trump administration to spend $4.9bn in foreign aid — Chief Justice John Roberts issued a temporary stay on Tuesday halting a Washington DC federal judge's order requiring the Trump administration to spend nearly $5bn in congressionally appropriated foreign aid. Trump had announced via "pocket rescission" that he would not spend the funds, characterizing them as "woke, weaponized and wasteful." The stay gives aid groups until Friday to file a response. This marks the first pocket rescission in 50 years and follows Trump's earlier moves to dismantle USAID and downsize US global development and emergency response support.
• Supreme Court partially stays District Court order in Department of State v. AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition — The Supreme Court, in an emergency application, partially stayed a September 3, 2025 District Court order (D.D.C., cases 1:25-cv-400 and 1:25-cv-402) for funds subject to the President's August 28, 2025 rescission proposal pending before Congress. The stay applies only to those funds and remains in effect pending further order of the Chief Justice or the full Court. Respondents were ordered to file a response by September 12, 2025, at 4 p.m. EDT.