Cindy McCain, the widow of 2008 GOP presidential nominee and U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), continues to serve as the executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), the international organization within the United Nations that provides food assistance worldwide.
Note: The United States was WFP’s largest donor. In February, “the WFP received directives from the U.S. to halt operations on numerous U.S.-funded grants, despite an emergency waiver issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio intended to allow essential food assistance to continue.”
Due to the Trump administration’s dramatic cuts to humanitarian assistance, the WFP announced that it plans to cut its staff by a third (about 6,000 jobs). As seen below, from a United Nations aircraft flying above Haiti, McCain made a plea on social media.
.@UNHAS planes and helicopters deliver lifesaving aid when no one else can—no matter where, no matter what.
But without new funds, this vital service that keeps the entire humanitarian system moving will be grounded.@WFP needs $101m to ensure UNHAS stays in the skies in 2025. pic.twitter.com/G5GjaA4osC
— Cindy McCain (@WFPChief) May 14, 2025
With the video, McCain wrote: “United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) planes and helicopters deliver lifesaving aid when no one else can—no matter where, no matter what. But without new funds, this vital service that keeps the entire humanitarian system moving will be grounded.”
She added: “@”WFP needs $101m to ensure UNHAS stays in the skies in 2025.”
With more than half of all Haitians facing acute hunger, WFP is “sounding the alarm” and “intensifying calls for increased resources and funding.”
With violence grounding commercial flights, @WFP_UNHAS remains the only way in and out of #Haiti’s capital—a vital lifeline for humanitarians.
In 2025, UNHAS has stepped up operations, completing 700 flights and transporting 7500 aid workers to keep the crisis response going. pic.twitter.com/uo114cr2IA
— WFP Haiti (PAM)
(@WFP_Haiti) May 12, 2025
WFP delivers to more than 120 countries and territories. On Monday, McCain reported: “Families in Gaza are starving while the food they need is sitting at the border. But @WFP hasn’t been able to get new aid in since 2 March. If we wait for famine to be officially confirmed, it will be TOO LATE.”
Families in Gaza are starving while the food they need is sitting at the border. But @WFP hasn’t been able to get new aid in since 2 March.
If we wait for famine to be officially confirmed, it will be TOO LATE.
We need access.
We need a ceasefire.
We need to move NOW.— Cindy McCain (@WFPChief) May 12, 2025
Note: President Trump’s initial nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), praised WFP as “effective” and “a very successful program” at the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January, and noted “significant bipartisan support” in Congress for the non-profit organization.