Order to Destroy Emergency Food
Five months after beginning to dismantle foreign-aid programs, the Trump administration ordered nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food to be incinerated instead of delivered abroad. These rations, meant for children in Afghanistan and Pakistan, will soon expire and become unusable, according to sources familiar with the program.
The Origin of the Biscuits
Near the end of the Biden administration, USAID purchased about $800,000 worth of high-energy biscuits. These biscuits are designed to provide essential nutrition for children under five, especially in disaster zones. They were stored in Dubai, ready to be distributed to children in need this year.
Foreign Aid Halted
In January, the Trump administration issued an executive order that paused almost all American foreign assistance. Despite repeated requests from USAID staff to distribute the biscuits while they were still viable, no approvals were given. Changes in agency leadership and structure created bottlenecks, leaving the food stranded.
Bureaucratic Roadblocks
After USAID was disbanded and folded into the State Department, moving any aid required new approval processes. Responsibility shifted between political appointees, but staff who sought clearance to ship the food never received a response. The State Department did not comment on why the food remained undelivered.
Unfulfilled Promises
Although Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised Congress that food aid would reach recipients before it spoiled, the destruction order had already been issued. By April, all humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and Yemen was halted, and the food could not even be redirected to other crisis regions like Sudan due to logistical and legal restrictions.
A Costly Waste
Destroying the food will cost taxpayers an additional $130,000 on top of the original purchase price. Experienced aid workers say they have never witnessed so much emergency food simply discarded, especially when it could have alleviated severe hunger elsewhere.
Growing Global Need
The high-energy biscuits represented a small part of the U.S.’s annual food aid, but losing them is significant. Global hunger is rising, and organizations like the World Food Programme are struggling to meet soaring needs. The destroyed food could have fed every child facing acute food insecurity in Gaza for a week.
Systemic Breakdown
Widespread staff cuts and confusion have made it harder for USAID to manage food aid. More emergency rations are sitting unused in warehouses worldwide. Without effective logistics and leadership, even newly purchased food may never reach those who need it most.
