Trump’s USAID Cuts Leave Millions of Meals Decaying in Storage: A Crisis Unfolds

About 60,000 metric tons of food, enough to feed 3.5 million people for a month, is stuck in foreign warehouses due to cuts in funding for USAID. Since earlier this year, the Trump administration has reduced these vital programs by more than 80%. The result? Essential food supplies, valued at $98 million and intended for places like Gaza, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are rotting away.

This food is crucial. For instance, nearly 500 tons of high-energy biscuits in Dubai are set to expire soon. These could have fed 27,000 malnourished children for a month. Instead, much of it will end up incinerated or used as animal feed.

The failure to distribute this food is linked to a pause in contracts and funds needed for shipping. A State Department spokesperson mentioned that USAID is consulting with partners on how to best use the food before it expires. However, plans remain stalled, waiting for approvals from the Office of Foreign Assistance.

Navyn Salem, founder of Edesia, a company that produces energy supplements, highlighted the issue further. Her organization has $13 million worth of food ready but is unable to distribute it. She remains hopeful a solution will emerge soon.

Historically, the U.S. has been a leading donor in global aid, contributing nearly 40% of United Nations funding. Organizations like Action Against Hunger warn that the cuts have dire consequences. Reports from the field indicate children are already suffering severe consequences. In the DR Congo, six children have starved after local operations were suspended.

Jeanette Bailey from the International Rescue Committee warns of the stakes. If children in treatment centers cannot access help, more than 60% risk dying quickly.

The issue highlights the urgent need for action. Resources intended to save lives are instead wasting away, while people in desperate situations continue to suffer. The disconnect is alarming and calls for a reassessment of aid strategies in times of crisis.

For further insights, consider reading the report from Action Against Hunger, which details the ongoing nutritional crisis exacerbated by these funding cuts.



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