President Trump is preparing an executive order to require all U.S. food aid to foreign nations be shipped on American ships, Reuters reported Friday.
The move, touted as part of Trump’s “America First” agenda, is expected to face resistance in both parties. Critics told Reuters that it would result in aid being unable to reach many in need.
“Millions of people could be denied the food aid they need to survive if the cargo preference requirement is doubled,” Tom Hart, North America executive director at the anti-poverty nonprofit One Campaign, told Reuters.
The American Enterprise Institute, a right-leaning think tank, said in a November report that forcing aid to be shipped on U.S. vessels costs 46 percent more and can take up to 14 weeks longer to arrive at its destination.
{mosads}Current U.S. policy dictates that 50 percent of U.S. food aid be shipped on American vessels. That requirement is already unpopular with lawmakers in both parties, who say the measure increases costs while not creating jobs.
Sources told Reuters that Trump is considering going as far as doubling that amount, so that 100 percent of food aid is transported on American ships.
“An executive order is being drafted by the White House,” a source close to the process told Reuters.
The White House would not comment to the news outlet on the reported executive order.