Key points
- Food aid expires in Dubai warehouse
- Former USAID official blames Trump-era agency cuts
- Biscuits could have helped crisis zones like Gaza
- State Department says spoilage risks are unavoidable
ISLAMABAD: The United States is preparing to destroy nearly 500 metric tonnes of emergency food, funded by US taxpayers and originally intended for people facing starvation around the world.
The high-energy, nutrient-rich biscuits have been stored for months in a warehouse in Dubai, according to a former official from USAID (the US Agency for International Development), according to CNN.
Now, as they are due to expire this month, they will be discarded—incurring an additional cost of $100,000 to the American taxpayer.
The United States’ destruction of a warehouse worth of emergency food that had spoiled has drawn outrage, but lawmakers and aid workers say it is only one effect of President Donald Trump’s abrupt slashing of foreign assistance.https://t.co/w1oS30zIH8 pic.twitter.com/Ze2VWQllxK
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 18, 2025
Speaking anonymously, the former official said such a loss of desperately needed food aid would not have occurred prior to the dismantling of USAID under the Trump administration.
“This is the very definition of waste,” the former official remarked.
Approaching deadlines
The Atlantic was the first to report the upcoming disposal of the aid.
Before the restructuring of USAID—reportedly over concerns of waste and fraud—staff were responsible for tracking expiry dates. As deadlines approached, they would typically coordinate with colleagues to identify urgent needs elsewhere, or arrange donations.
This batch of biscuits, the official added, could have been sent to crisis zones such as Gaza.
Trump administration reportedly intends to destroy nearly 500 metric tons of emergency food meant to help feed starving children in Afghanistan and Pakistan
The decision comes after DOGE ordered the dismantling of USAID — and its responsibility to distribute the high-energy… pic.twitter.com/AnAW9FfSJT— •spooky•girl•cassiopeia•™ (@sadgirlcassi) July 17, 2025
Two biscuits per day are enough to prevent death from starvation, though they are not a substitute for proper meals. Still, they said, the biscuits would have been ideal in Gaza’s dire situation, where there is no clean water, cooking oil, or means to make fires.
However, the Gaza humanitarian response has now been wound down, and key logistics and planning staff have been dismissed.
Destroying food
“It’s genuinely heartbreaking to see this happen,” the official said. “These biscuits are perfect for emergency food aid—it’s painful to watch them go to waste.”
A spokesperson for the US State Department confirmed the food would be destroyed due to the inability to use it before expiry.
They clarified that the expired batch was purchased under the previous administration as a contingency, exceeding projected needs. Unfortunately, they said, spoilage is a risk inherent in preparing for emergencies with perishable goods stored in remote areas.
“Similar instances have occurred under past administrations,” the spokesperson noted. “This is not without precedent.”
They added that the biscuits are designed for people in transit, such as those fleeing conflict or affected by natural disasters.
“We currently have high-energy biscuits stored in warehouses around the globe, ready for those in need,” the spokesperson said. “We always strive to avoid the destruction of any supplies and aim to find alternative uses wherever possible.”
