Let's break it down for you Bondi why:
If Justice Jackson personally disagreed with the Trump administration’s plea, she still had to sign the 48-hour pause.
Here’s exactly why she had zero choice:
Her personal view on SNAP funding is irrelevant until five Justices vote on the real stay—probably Monday or Tuesday.
Until then, the $4 billion is in a 48-hour witness-protection program.
If Justice Jackson personally disagreed with the Trump administration’s plea, she still had to sign the 48-hour pause.
Here’s exactly why she had zero choice:
1. It wasn’t a real “stay” — it was an administrative timeout
The government filed at 6:12 p.m. on Thursday.
The lower-court deadline was 11:59 p.m. that same night.
The 1st Circuit had already said “we’ll decide by Monday.”
That left 5½ hours before $4 billion had to leave the Treasury.
The Supreme Court’s own handbook (Rule 23.3) says: “A single Justice shall enter an administrative stay when necessary to prevent irreparable harm before the full Court or the Circuit can act.”
Translation:
If the money is gone at midnight, the case is over.
She must freeze the clock or the appeal becomes pointless.
2. She can’t just “let the money fly”If she did nothing, every state would have loaded the full $4 billion onto EBT cards.
The government would then beg the full Court for an emergency recall order.
That would make her look like she forced nine Justices to clean up her mess.
🚨No Circuit Justice has ever let an 11:59 p.m. deadline expire in the last 50 years.
It’s considered malpractice.🚨
3. She protected her own leverage
By giving 48 hours, she kept the 1st Circuit on a leash (“decide fast or we will”).
Kept the full Court’s options open (five Justices can still kill the order next week).
Avoided being the lone Justice who unilaterally let $4 billion vanish.
What she could have done if she hated the idea
Write a one-sentence order: “Application referred to the full Court.”
→ That would have let the money leave at midnight.
→ Every news outlet would have blamed her personally.
→ The Chief Justice would have been furious.
She’s the newest Justice. She’s not suicidal.
Real-world proof 2020 : Justice Sotomayor (liberal) gave Trump’s border-wall contractors an administrative stay even though she voted against them later.
2022: Justice Kagan (liberal) froze Biden’s student-loan forgiveness for 72 hours even though she wanted it to survive.
Bottom line: She had to sign it.
Her personal view on SNAP funding is irrelevant until five Justices vote on the real stay—probably Monday or Tuesday.
Until then, the $4 billion is in a 48-hour witness-protection program. Hopefully this simplifies the matter for you.
