USA: Children go hungry, tons of humanitarian aid rots
The Trump administration faced embarrassment on Wednesday following media revelations that tons of food intended for malnourished children will be incinerated due to expiration. This comes as the U.S. significantly scales back its overseas aid contributions.
“I don’t have a satisfactory answer to that question,” admitted State Department management and personnel official Michael Rigas when questioned by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
When Democratic Senator Tim Kaine pressed further, Rigas suggested that the issue was a consequence of the closure of USAID – the US Agency for International Development Assistance. Expressing regret over the wastage of food, he pledged to investigate the matter.
High-energy, nutritionally dense biscuits intended for malnourished children in Afghanistan and Pakistan are set to be incinerated. These supplies expired this month while in storage in Dubai, according to officials.
A report in The Atlantic revealed that nearly 500 metric tons of biscuits, sufficient to feed 1.5 million children for a week, were purchased by the Biden administration for about $800,000. The cost of destroying these expired supplies will burden U.S. taxpayers with an additional $130,000.
Senator Kaine claimed he had raised the issue with Secretary of State Marco Rubio back in March, expressing frustration that no action was taken. Instead, the government chose to let the food expire in the warehouse and then incinerate it rather than distribute it.
After over six decades, USAID officially ceased to exist on July 1, as the Trump administration deemed it did not serve “the interests” of the US. The agency was subsequently absorbed into a State Department directorate.
The closure of USAID sent shockwaves through the international aid community and non-governmental organizations.
Trump Slashes U.S. International Aid
Since his return to the White House in January, Donald Trump has drastically cut U.S. international aid, slashing 83% of funding for USAID programs overseas.
Furthermore, under pressure from the White House and Elon Musk’s DOGE committee, the U.S. Congress is expected to approve nearly $9 billion in budget cuts this week.
These funds were originally earmarked for foreign aid.
Despite this, a State Department official emphasized that the U.S. continues to be the leading contributor of humanitarian aid worldwide.
Rigas also supervised extensive layoffs at the State Department, part of a cost-cutting initiative endorsed by the Republican president.
“As a result of reckless and ill-advised decisions – such as budget cuts, staff reductions, and the termination of crucial programs – American taxpayers will bear the brunt of the cost and children will face the consequences of hunger,” criticized Democratic Senator Jean Shaheen.
