The United States has announced the suspension of all assistance to the government of Somalia following allegations that Somali officials destroyed a World Food Programme warehouse containing US-funded food aid. According to a statement shared on social media by the US State Department, 76 metric tonnes of donor-funded food intended for vulnerable Somalis were allegedly seized, prompting the administration to halt support.
The announcement, issued under the Trump administration, stated that the United States has a zero-tolerance policy for waste, theft, or diversion of humanitarian assistance. US officials said they were deeply concerned by reports that Somali government representatives were involved in the destruction of the warehouse and the illegal seizure of aid supplies. Somali authorities have not yet publicly responded to the allegations.
The decision reflects a broader shift in US policy toward Somalia since President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025. In recent months, his administration has imposed stricter immigration measures targeting Somalis, intensified air strikes against armed groups inside Somalia, and escalated criticism of Somali communities living in the United States. Trump has repeatedly made inflammatory remarks about Somali Americans, including personal attacks against Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
Alongside these measures, the administration has increased immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, home to the largest Somali community in the US, and raised the possibility of using denaturalisation as a penalty for Somali Americans implicated in fraud cases. These actions come amid a wider rollback of US humanitarian assistance globally, making the scope and impact of the Somalia aid suspension uncertain.
Under former President Joe Biden, the US provided approximately $770 million in assistance for Somalia-related projects, although only a small share went directly to the Somali government. In its announcement, the State Department indicated that assistance could resume in the future, but only if the Somali government acknowledges responsibility for the alleged actions and takes corrective steps to address the situation.
