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President Donald Trump’s foreign policy agenda encountered two significant setbacks this week, as the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily halted the mass deportation of Venezuelan migrants and diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war showed signs of unraveling.
On Friday, the Supreme Court issued a late-night emergency order pausing the administration’s controversial use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport hundreds of Venezuelan men, whom the White House had alleged were gang members from the Tren de Aragua. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) successfully argued that the migrants were denied due process and deported based on flimsy evidence, including tattoos and unverified allegations.
Justice Samuel Alito, in a sharp dissent joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, criticized the majority’s “extraordinary haste” in intervening. “This Court has again rushed to interfere in the president’s exercise of authority under wartime statutes without full consideration,” Alito wrote.
Earlier deportations in March saw over 130 Venezuelan men removed, with the administration drawing criticism for failing to return at least one individual, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, after a previous court order found his deportation unlawful.
Meanwhile, Trump’s much-publicized pledge to negotiate an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict “within 24 hours” has evolved into a drawn-out and rocky process. After a tense Oval Office meeting on February 28 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — where Trump accused him of being “disrespectful” and canceled a minerals agreement — the administration paused U.S. military aid to Ukraine on March 3 in an attempt to pressure Kyiv toward a ceasefire.
“You see the hatred he’s got for Putin,” Trump said afterward. “That’s very tough for me to make a deal with that kind of hate.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Thursday that unless peace negotiations yield significant progress soon, the U.S. may “move on.” “We are now reaching a point where we need to decide whether this is even possible or not,” Rubio said in Paris. “It’s not our war. We have other priorities to focus on.”
President Trump echoed Rubio’s urgency, telling reporters Friday: “We want to see it end. Marco is right. It has to be done quickly.”
As Trump approaches his 100th day back in office, his foreign policy — particularly on Ukraine and immigration — faces legal barriers and strained international relationships, casting doubt on his ability to deliver on key campaign promises.
