The Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily allowed the Trump administration to hold on to billions in foreign aid funds that it wants to cancel , setting up a high-stakes battle over the president’s power to unilaterally cancel funds mandated by Congress.

The one-page order , signed by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., paused the part of a lower court ruling that required the government to pay some $4 billion of the $4.9 billion rescissions request that the Trump administration sent to Congress last month.

The Supreme Court order also asked the initial challengers to the funding freeze to respond by this Friday.

The administration submitted an application Monday arguing the lower court ruling that requires payment of the $4 billion by Sept. 30 interfered with its negotiations with fo

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