The Trump Administration Is Ignoring a Hunger Emergency
Somalia is on the brink of famine. For the first time in decades, the U.S. isn’t doing anything to stop it.
In 1967, two former State Department employees predicted that the United States would one day be like Athens or Byzantium if it stopped feeding the world's hungry. However, their predictions have proven to be incorrect as the global population has doubled and devastating famines have become rarer. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network, established during the Reagan administration, can forecast hunger emergencies months ahead of time, and both Republican and Democratic presidents have sent food and medical aid to countries facing famine.
Currently, Somalia is facing a famine warning, with severe droughts killing over a million livestock and causing severe acute malnutrition in half a million children. The U.S. has historically responded to famine warnings, even when aiding countries hostile to America. In 2022, the Biden administration spent over $2 billion to prevent a famine in Somalia, saving an estimated 3 million lives.
Despite this dire situation, the Trump administration has allocated zero dollars for aid to Somalia this fiscal year. The State Department has paused all foreign assistance to Somalia, citing waste, theft, or diversion of U.S. resources, following a warehouse demolition. However, this decision may have been in the works before the incident, as the State Department was considering aid distribution before December.
The decision has been attributed to President Trump's animosity towards Somali Americans, following his controversial remarks about the community.
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