US set to destroy 500 tons of taxpayer-funded emergency food

Marissa, it's been an emotional day here in Washington DC outside of USAID's former headquarters. We've seen people shed tears as they've shared their stories with us, and we've seen those people go inside for just 15 minutes under federal supervision to clear out their desks and their offices. Bringing out their belongings and bags, boxes, and in some cases suitcases. This is all part of President Donald Trump's effort to slash the size of the federal government, but it has also upended lives and it has thrown this agency into turmoil. Supporters have now laid off USAID workers, clapping as the agency's former employees were forced to clear their things from the now shuttered headquarters. What you're feeling right now in this moment. I just can't. I'm sorry. For many today was not just about packing up their offices, but mourning the abrupt end to their careers dedicated to humanitarian work. It's hard to even put into words like how how hard it feels to lose. The effort that we put in over years to build something, Melissa says she spent years working on democracy initiatives and combating corruption in countries like Ukraine. We're all people, right? We have kids to take care of. We have You know, parents to take care of who are aging, and so we're all struggling with that as well. The dismantling of USAID, led by the Department of Government Efficiency under presidential adviser Elon Musk has resulted in mass layoffs. More than 5600 other employees are now on administrative leave. More than 90% of the agency's contracts have been eliminated, and $60 billion in US assistance worldwide halted. The overall goal here with the Doge team is. Help address the enormous deficit, we simply cannot sustain as *** country $2 trillion deficits. The White House says the agency is rife with corruption and the programs do not align with its agenda. I love the concept, but they turn out to be radical left lunatics. Former workers and agency supporters rejecting that notion Thursday. We are not corrupt. We are people that decided to make *** choice to work for. The US and on behalf of the US, I spoke with many current USAID workers who are on administrative leave, and one of their big concerns, of course, is whether or not they're going to have *** job in the near future. But something else that they keep bringing up is how shutting down this agency is going to have *** negative impact on humanitarian efforts across the world. In Washington, I'm Christopher Seas, WMUR News.

Updated: 9:04 PM CDT Jul 16, 2025

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US set to destroy 500 tons of taxpayer-funded emergency food

Updated: 9:04 PM CDT Jul 16, 2025

Editorial Standards ⓘ

The United States is set to destroy nearly 500 metric tons of U.S.-taxpayer-funded emergency food meant for starving people around the world.The high-energy, nutrient-dense biscuits have been sitting for months in a warehouse in Dubai, according to a former USAID official.Now, because they expire this month, they will have to be destroyed – at an extra $100,000 charge to the American taxpayers.The former official, who spoke anonymously to discuss the details, said the destruction of the critically needed food would not have happened prior to the Trump administration’s destruction of the US Agency for International Development.“This is the definition of waste,” the former official said.The Atlantic first reported on the impending destruction of the aid.Before the administration dismantled USAID, citing alleged waste and fraud, personnel would have kept track of the expiration dates of the food aid. As the dates approached, they would have contacted colleagues to see who needed it, the former official explained, or it could have been donated.The food could have been sent to places that desperately needed it, like Gaza.Two rations of biscuits a day is enough to stop people from dying, the former official said but noted that they do not replace real food. They made “perfect sense” in the catastrophic situation of Gaza “because there is no clean water, there’s no way to cook, no oil, no fires,” they said.The Gaza response has been demobilized, and the people who managed the logistics and planning were fired, the official told CNN.“It’s just heartbreaking to see with these biscuits, because they’re the perfect emergency food aid, it’s hard to see them go to waste,” they said.A State Department spokesperson confirmed that emergency food will be destroyed because they were unable to use it before its expiration.“The expired lot was acquired under the last administration, and purchased as a contingency for needs beyond projections, resulting in the inability to deplete before expiration,” they said. “Unfortunately, this risk is part of always being ready to respond to life-saving humanitarian needs with consumable commodities in remote locations around the world.”“USAID has had to destroy commodities under previous administrations with similar circumstances – this is not unique,” the spokesperson said.They said in a statement that the biscuits are “specifically meant for populations that are moving from one place to another such as in the wake of a natural disaster or fleeing from conflict.”“We currently have high energy biscuits in warehouses around the world, for those most in need,” the spokesperson said. “We always want to avoid destroying any commodities and do our best to find alternate uses for it.”

The United States is set to destroy nearly 500 metric tons of U.S.-taxpayer-funded emergency food meant for starving people around the world.

The high-energy, nutrient-dense biscuits have been sitting for months in a warehouse in Dubai, according to a former USAID official.

Now, because they expire this month, they will have to be destroyed – at an extra $100,000 charge to the American taxpayers.

The former official, who spoke anonymously to discuss the details, said the destruction of the critically needed food would not have happened prior to the Trump administration’s destruction of the US Agency for International Development.

“This is the definition of waste,” the former official said.

The Atlantic on the impending destruction of the aid.

Before the administration dismantled USAID, citing alleged waste and fraud, personnel would have kept track of the expiration dates of the food aid. As the dates approached, they would have contacted colleagues to see who needed it, the former official explained, or it could have been donated.

The food could have been sent to places that desperately needed it, like Gaza.

Two rations of biscuits a day is enough to stop people from dying, the former official said but noted that they do not replace real food. They made “perfect sense” in the catastrophic situation of Gaza “because there is no clean water, there’s no way to cook, no oil, no fires,” they said.

The Gaza response has been demobilized, and the people who managed the logistics and planning were fired, the official told CNN.

“It’s just heartbreaking to see with these biscuits, because they’re the perfect emergency food aid, it’s hard to see them go to waste,” they said.

A State Department spokesperson confirmed that emergency food will be destroyed because they were unable to use it before its expiration.

“The expired lot was acquired under the last administration, and purchased as a contingency for needs beyond projections, resulting in the inability to deplete before expiration,” they said. “Unfortunately, this risk is part of always being ready to respond to life-saving humanitarian needs with consumable commodities in remote locations around the world.”

“USAID has had to destroy commodities under previous administrations with similar circumstances – this is not unique,” the spokesperson said.

They said in a statement that the biscuits are “specifically meant for populations that are moving from one place to another such as in the wake of a natural disaster or fleeing from conflict.”

“We currently have high energy biscuits in warehouses around the world, for those most in need,” the spokesperson said. “We always want to avoid destroying any commodities and do our best to find alternate uses for it.”

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