Why ending US food aid to Afghanistan, Yemen threatens national security

In early 2025, the U.S. State Department terminated all U.S.-funded food assistance to Afghanistan and Yemen, affecting millions in two strategically important regions. Months later, as the prospect of famine conditions spreads, the consequences of this policy are becoming clear — and they extend far beyond humanitarian concerns.

Until the 2025 aid cuts, the United States had been among the top food assistance donors in both Afghanistan and Yemen. No other donor has stepped forward to fill the unprecedented gap left when the U.S. decided to immediately terminate all food assistance to these two countries.

The numbers tell a stark story. According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, over 5.2 million Yemenis now face Phase 4 “emergency” level food insecurity — one step before famine conditions. The most recent IPC projections expect upcoming pockets of Phase 5 “catastrophe” famine conditions, with “crisis” and “emergency” levels of food insecurity affecting 52% of the population.