U.S. Halts Lifesaving Food Assistance for Millions: World Food Program Labels Decision a "Death Verdict"

In a series of unexpected moves, the Trump administration has decided to cut funding for key humanitarian aid programs in various countries, including Somalia, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, and several others. This decision has sparked criticism from humanitarian groups and concerns about global stability.

The most significant impact is felt in Afghanistan, where the administration has cut $560 million in humanitarian aid. This funding shortfall has affected emergency food assistance, treatment of severely malnourished babies, lifesaving medical care, safe drinking water, and emergency mental health treatment for survivors of sexual and physical violence. The abrupt end of these programs threatens the lives of some of the world's most vulnerable populations, many of which depend on such aid.

The World Food Program (WFP), the largest provider of food aid, has been particularly affected. All U.S. aid to WFP food programs across Yemen has been stopped, and the agency has also received termination letters for U.S.-funded programs in Lebanon and Jordan. The termination of these programs provided food, water, medical care, and shelter for people displaced by war, including in Afghanistan.

The projects were being canceled "for the convenience of the U.S. Government" at the direction of Jeremy Lewin, a top lieutenant at Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The U.S. had been the major funder of the WFP, providing $4.5 billion of the $9.8 billion in donations to the food agency last year.

In Syria, $230 million in contracts with WFP and humanitarian groups were terminated, including a $111 million program providing food to 1.5 million people. Two newly terminated contracts, run by Save the Children and the U.N. Population Fund, provided mental health services and other care to women and children at al-Hol, a camp where tens of thousands of alleged Islamic State fighters and their families are kept under guard. It was not immediately clear if any other services were affected at the camp.

The Trump administration has accused USAID of wastefulness and advancing liberal causes. This accusation led to a shutdown of services at the al-Hol camp, where the freeze on all foreign assistance through USAID and the State Department briefly caused the shutdown of services.

The World Food Program has appealed to the U.S. to roll back the new cuts in a social media post. The cuts undermine global stability, according to WFP chief Cindy McCain. However, no specific government personalities have been identified in the search results as having publicly spoken out regarding the Trump administration's decision to defund emergency programs of the U.N. World Food Program.

There was no immediate comment from the State Department regarding the termination of these programs. The unexpected round of contract cancellations has targeted some of the last remaining humanitarian programs run by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The administration's actions have received criticism from humanitarian groups, as they see efforts to ease humanitarian crises as being in their strategic interest by stemming mass migration, conflicts, and extremism.

U.S. Halts Lifesaving Food Assistance for Millions: World Food Program Labels Decision a "Death Verdict"