UN appoints US agriculture official Luke Lindberg to head the World Food Program

The United Nations announced on Friday the appointment of U.S. agriculture official Luke Lindberg to head the World Food Program (WFP), the agency that aids those affected by conflict, disaster, and severe hunger worldwide. Lindberg, 37, succeeds Cindy McCain as executive director of the Rome-based organization. The appointment was confirmed by WFP's board after a joint announcement by U.N.

Secretary-General António Guterres and Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General Qu Dongyu. Lindberg, the son-in-law of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, currently serves as the U.S. Department of Agriculture's undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs. He will lead WFP as it grapples with raising funds to feed millions of people in need, with the agency aiming to assist up to 110 million people this year due to funding cuts.

The United States has historically been WFP's largest donor, and an American has headed the agency since the early 1990s. Lindberg has been in his USDA role for over a year, and President Donald Trump nominated him for the WFP position. Guterres and Qu praised McCain for her leadership and dedicated service, stating that she led the program through one of its most challenging periods, serving as a steadfast voice for those affected by conflict, disaster, and severe hunger.