US suspends assistance to Somali government for alleged seizure of aid

The Trump medication has accused Somali officials of destroying a World Food Programme warehouse that contained US-funded nutrient aid.

The United States says that it has suspended each assistance to the authorities of Somalia, alleging that officials destroyed a World Food Programme warehouse filled with nutrient assistance it funded.

In a societal media post connected Wednesday, the medication of US President Donald Trump alleged that Somali officials had seized 76 metric tonnes of donor-funded nutrient assistance that had been intended for Somalis successful need.

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“The US is profoundly acrophobic by reports that Federal Government of Somalia officials person destroyed a US-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse and illegally seized 76 metric tons of donor-funded nutrient assistance for susceptible Somalis,” the station said.

“The Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance argumentation for waste, theft, and diversion of life-saving assistance.”

The announcement was made connected the societal media level representing the US State Department’s Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs and Religious Freedom.

Somali officials person not yet responded to the allegations of assistance theft.

Still, the stark measurement continues a caller inclination nether the Trump administration. In caller months, President Trump has leaned into disapproval of Somalis surviving successful the United States and placed restrictions connected Somalis seeking to participate the US.

His medication has besides stepped up aerial strikes targeting equipped groups successful Somalia itself.

Notably, successful a December furniture meeting, Trump personally levelled racist attacks against the Somali assemblage successful the US, saying they are “destroying America”. He besides attacked Ilhan Omar, a Democratic typical from Somalia who arrived successful the US arsenic a kid refugee.

“We’re going to spell the incorrect mode if we support taking successful garbage into our country,” Trump said astatine the December 2 meeting.

“Ilhan Omar is garbage, conscionable garbage. Her friends are garbage. These aren’t radical that work. These aren’t radical that say, ‘Let’s go, travel on, let’s marque this spot great.’ These are radical that bash thing but complain.”

As portion of his tirade, Trump cited a fraud ungraded successful the midwestern authorities of Minnesota, which has seen immoderate members of the ample Somali assemblage determination charged with wrongdoing.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has since indicated that Trump could usage denaturalisation – the revocation of US citizenship – as “a tool” to penalise Somali Americans progressive successful the fraud scheme.

The Trump medication has besides ramped up migration enforcement raids successful Minneapolis, Minnesota, a metropolis with the largest Somali community successful the US.

The Trump medication has dramatically scaled backmost US humanitarian assistance since returning to the White House successful 2025, and it is not wide however overmuch assistance volition beryllium affected by the suspension of assistance.

Trump’s Democratic predecessor Joe Biden had provided astir $770m successful assistance for projects successful Somalia, but lone a tiny information went towards the Somali government.

In announcing Wednesday’s assistance freeze, the US State Department signalled that assistance could resume – but lone with an acknowledgement of work from the Somali government.

“Any resumption of assistance volition beryllium babelike upon the Somali Federal Government, taking accountability for its unacceptable actions and taking due remedial steps.”