After Trump Cuts to Kenya Food Aid, Children Died of Starvation

A team of Donald Trump's foreign aid advisors convened in Nairobi, Kenya on July 18th at the Tribe Hotel. The group included Marcus Thornton, Kenneth Jackson, and Laken Rapier, all recently appointed to leadership roles at USAID. The purpose of their visit was to conduct exit interviews with USAID's top experts, who were being forced out due to the administration's austerity measures.

Just months prior, some of these same aides had celebrated USAID's dismantling in Washington. An internal memo revealed they were granted business class flights, with Thornton expensing over $35,000 in taxpayer money for the trip. Upon learning of the visit, the U.S. embassy in Nairobi arranged a dinner to convey the disastrous consequences of Trump's foreign aid reductions.

A primary concern was the administration's decision to defund the World Food Program (WFP) in Kenya. Roughly 720,000 refugees depended on the organization for survival. Despite providing $112 million in 2024, the U.S. abruptly ceased funding in January, leaving WFP without time to secure alternative support or import necessary food supplies.

For months, U.S. government and humanitarian officials cautioned Washington about the increasingly desperate situation. They implored Trump's advisors, including Thornton, to reinstate WFP's grant. The embassy in Nairobi dispatched at least eight cables to Secretary of State Marco Rubio's office, detailing the conditions and projecting widespread hunger, violence, and regional instability.

Despite pressure from lawmakers and humanitarian organizations, Rubio publicly claimed the cuts had spared food programs. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. the administration continued to withhold funding from WFP in Kenya. By spring, WFP's supplies dwindled, forcing them to halt food distribution to many refugees. In Kakuma, rations were cut to historic lows, leaving 308,000 people with almost nothing to eat.

ProPublica reporting revealed that starvation ensued, resulting in the deaths of many, primarily children, whose malnourished bodies were unable to fight off infections. Mothers were forced to choose which children to feed. Refugees began fleeing Kakuma, fearing starvation more than the dangers of the journey.

Embassy officials enlisted Dragica Pajevic, a WFP veteran, to emphasize the urgency of the situation. She brought containers displaying varying amounts of food, illustrating the drastic reduction in rations. One container represented the minimum daily intake of 2,100 calories for an adult. Others showed the reduced rations refugees would receive, with almost half receiving nothing at all.

Pajevic emphasized the critical role of WFP and the U.S. government in preventing famine deaths. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. the response from the Trump advisors was reportedly muted. Jackson stated the decision to renew WFP's grant was with the State Department, and Thornton remained largely silent, occupied with his cellphone.

The details of this account are based on information from six individuals familiar with the trip and internal government records. While violence and hunger due to aid cuts in Kenyan camps have been previously documented, the extent of suffering in Kakuma and the decisions by American officials contributing to it had not been fully reported until now.

Staff at the International Rescue Committee noted that previous spikes in pediatric malnutrition were linked to natural causes. This situation was different: a hunger crisis created by American policy. Almost 12,000 malnourished children have been referred for immediate medical attention this year.

According to one aid worker, the situation under Trump was unprecedented, "huge and brutal and traumatizing."

A State Department official insisted that no deaths resulted from the aid cuts. The official also stated that the U.S. continues to provide WFP with significant funding annually and is shifting towards investments that will better serve both the U.S. and allies like Kenya.

Meanwhile, on the day of the dinner, 370 miles from the Tribe Hotel, Mary Sunday sat in a hospital ward with her malnourished 7-month-old baby, Santina. Santina was rushed to the hospital after developing severe diarrhea. The family had been struggling since WFP cut food rations in June. Sunday could no longer produce enough breastmilk, and Santina's condition deteriorated rapidly.

Hospital staff worked to save Santina, but her condition worsened. The hospital tracked the rising number of child deaths linked to malnutrition. In 2025, at least 54 children died with complications from malnutrition, a surge that began when families started rationing food due to the USAID cuts. Researchers report that early childhood deaths are increasing worldwide this year, partly due to foreign aid cuts.

Another mother, Nyangoap Riek, expressed suicidal thoughts due to the desperation of the situation. Kakuma has been a refuge for people fleeing violence since 1992. USAID's presence has been a constant, with its materials even used in the camp's construction.

When the Trump administration froze USAID programs, Rubio claimed food programs would be spared. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. his lieutenants failed to extend WFP's Kenya funding, disrupting the organization's ability to ship food to Kakuma. WFP received no warning about the cuts. According to one U.N. official, "There was zero plan, except causing pain."

Even before the Trump administration, funding shortfalls had already forced WFP to reduce rations. This year, they were forced to make even more drastic cuts, reducing distributions and prioritizing families based on need. The fate of Kakuma rested in the hands of political appointees like Thornton, who often failed to act on requests to restore aid operations.

Brian Frantz, acting head of USAID's Africa bureau, attempted to advocate for Kenya as a key partner. That said, the reality is a bit more complicated. Thornton seemed uninterested, at one point confusing the U.S. Trade and Development Agency with a Venezuelan criminal organization.

Frantz criticized the political leaders for hindering lifesaving programs. Embassy staff in Nairobi also tried to restore funding to WFP, documenting the chaos and death caused by the cuts. The embassy warned that declining food assistance could lead to instability in Kenya. Some refugees even fled back to South Sudan, preferring the risks of violence to starvation.

USAID's humanitarian assistance bureau requested approval for WFP Kenya funding, but Thornton blocked the request. The State Department claimed the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had ultimate authority, but OMB denied this claim.

Santina's condition continued to decline. She was diagnosed with marasmus and developed pneumonia. On July 21, she died. Doctors stated she likely would have survived if not for malnutrition. Her father blamed the lack of breastmilk due to his wife's starvation. Santina was buried in Kakuma's cemetery.

Shame washed over Sunday, feeling she had failed as a mother. The family had only a small amount of vegetables to eat. They awaited the August food distribution, which would only provide food to half of Kakuma's residents. Sunday, her husband, and her daughter were among those who would receive nothing.

In late September, the State Department extended WFP's Kenya operation. The U.S. provided $66 million, 40% less than the previous year, and the funds arrived late. WFP plans to provide food through March, but most families will still receive significantly less than the recommended daily calories. Sunday, her husband, and Grace would each receive only 420 calories a day.