$1.3 Billion in aid cut: Trump administration ends WFP funding
Shafaq News/ The administration of President Donald Trump is ending most, if not all, remaining funding for emergency food aid programs operated by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), an aid source confirmed on Monday.
“This decision could be a death sentence for millions facing severe hunger and famine,” the WFP stated in a post on the social media platform X.
STATEMENT: WFP is deeply concerned by recent notifications from the US administration indicating that funding for emergency food assistance in 14 countries has been terminated.🔵If implemented, this could amount to a death sentence for millions of people facing extreme hunger… pic.twitter.com/6vgtjiAYZI
— World Food Programme (@WFP) April 7, 2025
The cuts were among several aid programs discontinued by the State Department and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) over the weekend. According to Sarah Charles, former head of USAID’s humanitarian affairs bureau, the decision affected more than a dozen countries, including Somalia and Syria.
Figures provided by Stand Up For Aid show that the total value of the terminated assistance exceeds $1.3 billion. This includes $562 million for Afghanistan, $107 million for Yemen, $170 million for Somalia, $237 million for Syria, and $12 million for Gaza.
This decision marks a shift from previous assurances made by senior officials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other members of the administration had earlier pledged that emergency food aid and other life-saving assistance would not be impacted by broader reductions to US foreign aid.
The WFP noted that it remains in contact with the Trump administration “to press for continued support of these life-saving programs”. United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric also confirmed that the UN is working to obtain further details regarding the cancelled contracts.
As of Monday, the State Department had not issued an official comment.
The funding reductions are the latest in a series of steps by the Trump administration to restructure the role of USAID, the primary US agency for international humanitarian assistance. Since the start of President Trump’s second term on January 20, several billion dollars in aid programs have been discontinued.
