Trump orders the destruction of emergency food aid for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Reuters reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter, that the Trump administration has ordered the destruction of about 500 tons of emergency food previously purchased for Afghanistan and Pakistan as part of its policy to reduce foreign aid.
The food shipment, which had been stored in a warehouse in Dubai for months, is estimated to be worth about $793,000. The food, which includes energy-dense, nutrient-rich wheat biscuits, is set to be burned or buried in the United Arab Emirates as it nears its expiration date, a move that will cost American taxpayers an additional $100,000, the sources said.
A former official at the United States Agency for International Development said that with proper planning, the food could have been prevented from being destroyed before its expiration date, but the Trump administration’s decision to dismantle the agency and halt humanitarian activities has wasted the resources.