US suspends all assistance to Somalia
By Mustafa Juma, January 8, 2026Donald Trump’s government has paused all assistance programmes that benefit the Somali Federal Government, with immediate effect.
The State Department, in a statement issued on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, said that the suspension follows claims that Somali officials destroyed an American-funded warehouse belonging to the World Food Programme and seized 76 metric tonnes of food aid intended for impoverished civilians.
The State Department maintained that the Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance policy for waste, theft, and diversion of life-saving assistance.
“The US is deeply concerned by reports that Federal Government of Somalia officials have destroyed a US-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse and illegally seized 76 metric tons of donor-funded food aid for vulnerable Somalis. The Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance policy for waste, theft, and diversion of life-saving assistance,” the statement read.
Accountability
It further noted that any resumption of assistance will be dependent upon the Somali Government taking accountability for its unacceptable actions and taking appropriate remedial steps.
“The State Department has paused all ongoing U.S. assistance programs which benefit the Somali Federal Government. Any resumption of assistance will be dependent upon the Somali Federal Government taking accountability for its unacceptable actions and taking appropriate remedial steps,” the statement read.
Minnesota fraud
The suspension comes as the Trump administration has ratcheted up criticism of Somali refugees and migrants in the United States, including over well-publicised fraud allegations involving child care centers in Minnesota.
It has slapped significant restrictions on Somalis wanting to come to the U.S. and made it difficult for those already in the United States to stay.
It was not immediately clear how much assistance would be affected by the suspension because the Trump administration has slashed foreign aid expenditures, dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development and not released new country-by-country data.