US lifts ban on World food programme donations
The World Food Programme has announced that it will resume in-kind food aid purchases and deliveries funded by USAID, following the lifting of a pause caused by the Trump administration's freeze on US foreign aid. This decision follows concerns from an aid watchdog that the suspension had left 500,000 metric tons of food at sea or awaiting shipment. "We can confirm that the recent pause concerning in-kind food assistance to WFP - purchased from U.S. farmers with Title II funds - has been rescinded," the World Food Program wrote in a post to X on Sunday. "This allows for the resumption of food purchases and deliveries under existing USAID agreements." Despite a waiver for emergency food aid, the United States halted purchases of commodities from American farmers for food donations.
This followed President Trump's 90-day suspension of all foreign aid to assess compliance with his "America First" policy. The United States also directed the World Food Programme to halt work on dozens of US-funded grants, despite a food aid waiver issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio five days earlier. Several of these suspended grants were part of the Food for Peace Title II program, which provides approximately $2 billion in commodity donations each year from the United States.
The USDA and USAID jointly manage this program, which serves as the primary channel for US international food assistance. The United States State Department has not responded to requests for comment on the matter. Humanitarian officials say the Trump administration's lack of clarity in its efforts to reduce and reshape US foreign aid has caused chaos, leaving them unsure whether to continue programs without financial guarantees.
A USAID Office of Inspector General report issued on Monday warned that this uncertainty put over $489 million in food aid at risk of spoilage, unexpected storage costs, and potential diversion while in ports, transit, or warehouses.
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