Trump Reverses Cuts to Foreign Aid Amid Backlash Over Food Assistance Programs

The Trump administration has reinstated several U.S. foreign aid programs just days after abruptly canceling them, highlighting ongoing turmoil in U.S. humanitarian policy. According to sources familiar with the matter, at least six emergency food assistance programs have been restored following internal and congressional pressure.

USAID Acting Deputy Administrator Jeremy Lewin, reportedly affiliated with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, directed staff to reverse terminations in an internal email. Aid to the World Food Programme (WFP) in Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Jordan, Iraq, and Ecuador was restored, along with four grants to the International Organization for Migration in the Pacific.

“Sorry for all the back and forth… we need to do better,” Lewin acknowledged in the email.

The reversal follows heavy criticism after the administration cut over $1.3 billion in aid, affecting more than a dozen countries, including Afghanistan and Yemen. According to advocacy group Stand Up For Aid, Lewin’s recent cancellations impacted $463 million worth of WFP contracts alone.

Although aid has been resumed in several regions, funding remains suspended for Afghanistan and Yemen due to concerns it could benefit the Taliban and Houthi militants. The State Department has yet to comment on the reinstatements.

The WFP had warned that defunding its operations in 14 countries could result in millions facing starvation. In Somalia alone, $169.8 million was cut, covering food, nutrition for children, and humanitarian air support. In Syria, $111 million was withdrawn from food assistance.

The cuts and abrupt reversals reflect broader efforts to restructure or dismantle USAID under Trump’s second term, causing disruptions in global humanitarian work. Critics, including Senate Democrats, argue these changes are unconstitutional and damaging to U.S. foreign policy.