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First Fox: The State Department says it has pushed back reports that it is working quickly to distribute tens of thousands of tons of food aid around the world, and is preparing to burn hundreds of tons of stockpiled supplies before it can be delivered.
The agency currently has 59,305 tonnes of physical food products stored in warehouses in the US and overseas, according to figures shared with Fox News Digital.
“We’re already programming all foods that have expired by October 2026,” a senior State Department official said. “The idea that we are expiring food is simply wrong.”
The State Department says it has approved the transfer or reprogramming of 44,422 tonnes of food through partnerships with the World Food Programme (WFP), Catholic Relief Services, Mercy Corps and the Cultivation of New Frontiers of Agriculture (CNFA). This includes a short food supply of 30,000 tons, which has already been programmed to deliver to crisis zones in Syria, Bangladesh and Sudan.
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The 30,000 tonnes of short dated food supplies depicted above have already been programmed to deliver to crisis zones in Syria, Bangladesh, and Sudan. (Ebrahim Hamid/AFP via Getty Images)
Another 12,000 tons of aid awaits final reprogramming. This is attributed to the division’s temporary holdings by the Office of Control and Budget (OMB) regarding the allocation of Title II. There is a problem that officials have now solved.
“As long as there are delays that are causing operational issues, it’s not from the State Department,” the official said. “All foods that will expire in the next 16 months are explained.”
Officials also dismissed recent media reports and argued that focusing on limited amounts of food that are close to expiration dates would distort large images. “The very small portion addressed in mainstream media – less than 1% of USAID’s food stockpile – was an exception that diverted the very broad and orderly process that directed all food to be described in an efficient and strategic way.”
Palestinians are packed lined up for the distribution of food aid. (eyad babaafp via Getty Images)
Public defense comes after several outlets reported that the Trump administration ordered the burning of approximately 500 tons of emergency food stored in Dubai as it approaches its expiration date.
According to Reuters, 622 tons were successfully redirected to countries including Syria, Bangladesh and Myanmar, but another 496 tons (valued by $793,000) was destroyed, adding an additional $100,000 disposal fee.
The incident occurred as part of a broader restructuring of the US foreign aid policy. In early July, the Trump administration officially disbanded USAID and transferred its authority over its development and humanitarian programs to the State Department. That shift was accompanied by efforts to revoke billions of dollars of foreign aid.
A temporary aid suspension in January prompted a former State Department inspector to warn that as many as $500 million food aid could end. However, the department says support has returned online under a restructured model.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the administration’s vision for foreign aid and said he is abandoning what he called the “charity-based model” in support of strengthening growth and independence in developing countries. (Getty Images)
With USAID phased out, the State Department is currently in charge of managing large-scale aid programs and is under pressure to provide them. Lawmakers and aid groups are closely monitoring to see if newly reprogrammed food aid reaches intended recipients.
Democrats seized the incineration report during a Congressional hearing this week, accusing the Trump administration of accusing them of turning their backs on urgent humanitarian needs. The report was first published by the Atlantic.
Earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the administration’s vision for foreign aid and said he was abandoning what he called the “charity-based model” in support of strengthening growth and independence in developing countries.
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“We support countries that have demonstrated both the ability and willingness to help ourselves,” Rubio writes.
The new approach is designed to emphasize trade and investment over direct aid and position the US as countering China’s growing global influence.
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