U.S. Resumes Food Donations After Aid Freeze Left Shipments in Limbo

The United States has lifted a pause on food donations, allowing the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to resume shipments, following concerns that 500,000 metric tons of aid had been stranded at sea or awaiting delivery

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed on Sunday that the U.S. government had lifted a recent freeze on food assistance under the Title II program, enabling purchases and deliveries to resume.

"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the recent pause concerning in-kind food assistance to WFP—purchased from U.S. farmers with Title II funds—has been rescinded," WFP said in a post on X.

The decision comes after U.S. President Donald Trump halted all foreign aid for 90 days, ordering a review to ensure funding aligns with his “America First” policy. Despite an emergency food assistance waiver, commodities produced by U.S. farmers for donation were not initially covered, leading to uncertainty and delays.

The U.S. also instructed WFP to halt work on dozens of U.S.-funded grants, including several under the Food for Peace Title II program, which allocates around $2 billion annually for international food assistance.

Impact of the Aid Suspension

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) oversees the Title II program alongside the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program provides food assistance to impoverished regions such as Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Haiti, and Mali.

A report by USAID’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) on Monday warned that the pause on food aid had left more than 500,000 metric tons of food either stuck at sea, in transit, or awaiting shipment, creating risks of spoilage, storage issues, and potential diversion.

"Uncertainty put more than $489 million of food assistance at ports, in transit, and in warehouses at risk," the report stated.

Humanitarian officials say the lack of clarity in the Trump administration’s policy shift created confusion, forcing aid groups to decide whether to continue operations without guaranteed funding.

The U.S. State Department has not commented on the decision.

Aid groups welcomed the lifting of the pause, though disruptions in food deliveries have already impacted vulnerable populations worldwide.

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