Washington, Feb. 27 -- Chief Justice of the United States, John Roberts, on Wednesday (local time) briefly paused a midnight deadline for the Donald Trump administration to unfreeze nearly USD 2 billion in foreign aid payments, imposed by lower judge who found the administration had breached its ruling, The Hill reported.

The Trump administration said it could not feasibly begin payments on the rapid timeline set by US District Judge Amir Ali, who on Tuesday asked the State Department and US Agency for International Development (USAID) to resume funding for foreign aid contracts and grants by the end of Wednesday.

In the emergency motion to the high court, acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris wrote, "This new order requiring payment of...