The Trump administration has stopped funding emergency food assistance programs in 14 crisis-hit countries, cutting off lifelines for millions who depend on international help for survival. The programs, run through the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), had provided critical aid in war-torn and impoverished regions including Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, and Somalia.
The WFP, the world’s largest humanitarian food organization, confirmed that some of its last remaining U.S.-funded programs were abruptly canceled. These include essential services like food, clean water, medical care, and mental health support for displaced and vulnerable communities.
One of the largest losses came in Syria, where $230 million in contracts were canceled, including a $111 million program that had been providing daily food to 1.5 million people. In Yemen, where hunger levels are among the highest in the world, all U.S. aid to WFP programs has been halted, even for food already positioned for distribution.
Afghanistan was hit hard, too. Over $560 million in humanitarian aid has been slashed, affecting food programs, medical support, and initiatives for women’s education. One program helping Afghan women attend school abroad was also shut down, forcing many to face return to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, where their safety is uncertain.
These decisions follow a broader rollback of U.S. foreign assistance by the Trump administration, which has been critical of U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) programs. Officials claim the agency has been inefficient and aligned with liberal agendas. However, humanitarian experts warn the sudden cuts could have devastating global consequences, especially in regions already dealing with hunger, conflict, and displacement.
The U.S. had been WFP’s largest donor, contributing $4.5 billion last year, nearly half of the agency’s total funding. With that support now withdrawn, WFP leaders are urgently calling on the Trump administration to reconsider, warning that the fallout could lead to widespread starvation and global instability.
The State Department has not yet issued a public explanation for the cuts.
