Extended Interview: World Food Programme Executive Director Cindy McCain

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1:01Margaret Brennan:We turn now to the executive director of the United Nations World Food Program, Cindy McCain, who joins us from Rome. Welcome back to Face the Nation. Thank you. Well, executive director, you have so much work on your plate, given the data shows a record high number of people seeking urgent food and livelihood assistance. We're just five months in to 2026. What's the trajectory we're on? Right now it's not very good, clearly, because of the large amount of people, number one, that are food insecure. Our ability to feed and feed at scale is not too good because we right this year have only received half of the money that we need to be able to feed the amount of people we are looking at right now.

1:52Margaret Brennan:Half of the money you need. Is that because of the U.S. cuts or a global pullback in helping feed the hungry? It's both. It's U.S. and the global pullback. It's not one country by any stretch, but it's collectively everybody. How do you explain that? Some of the countries have begun looking internally, and their constituents are asking for less money for foreign aid and more money for domestic uses. And I I certainly understand that, but with what we have looked at and what we are looking at now with regards to not just hunger, but we're looking at several more famines, by the way. So that would be, we've already had two, which is unprecedented.

2:37We had two more, you see what we've got. So we really need countries and private sector as well as private, not just private sector, but also corporations, et cetera, to step up. And to some degree they are. We've had a great deal more involvement with our private sector and our corporations, but we have it's going to collectively take all of us to be able to fix this.

3:00Margaret Brennan:I want to come back to this in the moment, but let's talk about where the need is right now. There is this emergency response to Ebola in the Congo. That's a country that's already struggling, as I understand it, with about 27 million food insecure people. I know the U.S. State Department is pledging some help here, but what are you hearing about the situation on the ground for emergency responders like yours? Well, clearly we are a large part of the emergency response there. And it is a group, as you know, the WHO is in there, we're in there, several other NGOs, et cetera. It's not good. And this is it's it's hitting people in a mass way.

3:45And there's really no way to know right now how many people have been affected by this. We know that it's a rampage now with it. So what we need to do is not only be able to get in, we run logistics, we bring in supplies, we bring in people, and we do much more than that as well just in the region. But this is going to take a real-world effort. This is very deadly.

4:11Margaret Brennan:You said there's a rampage of Ebola. I mean, are you able to keep your workers on the ground? Our workers are on the ground, but one of my big projects, a large reason of what we planned today, was taking care of our own people, the duty of care. And that comes into play because right now there's no adequate facility set up to handle that. And so we're looking, you obviously putting together a task force and a team that will do just that to make sure that we're protected as well as, of course, anyone that is from WFP. There was also the conflict in Sudan that broke out while you were in this role as executive director.

4:53Margaret Brennan:And I know it's required a lot of your attention. The U.N. says it's the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Is there any movement forward? Is there any progress? Well, we're seeing a little bit of progress, and mind you, little means really little, but a little bit of progress towards Darfur. We're able to set up kind of moving more of our people into the Sudan side rather than staging out of Chad. But it's still extremely difficult because on any given day, one of the factions may get involved and stop us from moving at all and getting any food in at any time. But I am also a big believer that eventually this will be solved.

5:42And more importantly, I believe in the good faith of the people that we serve and that they will somehow survive this, but also remember that people do care about them. And that's kind of where, when I saw them, I've been in Sudan, what I witnessed were people that thought had no hope. And people do care. And I always reiterate that when I go.

6:08Margaret Brennan:Well, you have been in this role at a time when there are so many hot spots, so many conflicts. And, of course, the Mideast continues to be a big challenge. I understand that you still do have some operations inside of Iran. As you know, there isn't a free press on the ground able to document what's happening. What can you tell us about how civilians there are doing? Well, we have a very small team, as you just mentioned, and we are getting some intel out of there, obviously, because we do have a team not only to listen to, but to protect as well. Things aren't good. I mean, let's face it, when you shut the Straits of Hormuz and you've got bombings on both sides all the way up and down, people are going to not only become food insecure, but they're going to starve.

6:58It's time to end this and make sure that we can open the Straits of Hormuz because it's affecting everybody. And it will take us months to get back on track when they do open it.

7:09Margaret Brennan:Months to get back on track. Why is that? Because the ships with the food are stuck or because of the food prices? Why? Prices, availability, movement. A good example is that we do work in Afghanistan. And before, what would usually take us three weeks maybe to get the food in from where it comes in from, now it takes us almost three months. And so in the meantime, women and children, which are always the first to be hit, are starving. And so this is the case with all of them. And when When you talk about fertilizer, when you talk about seeds, of course, and other things that are being moved around that help stave off hunger, it's a real problem.

7:53So we're looking for and very hopeful that these peace talks will happen and that we can open the straits.

8:00Margaret Brennan:Beyond Iran, Israel has stepped up its campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. And I know there's a large number of refugees there. In Gaza, there have been all these ceasefire violations. Hundreds of Palestinians killed since the ceasefire was announced. Hamas, the armed groups, they have not disarmed like they were supposed to. Israeli troops are still there. Bigger picture, when you look at the destruction in the Middle East just within the past few years, how do you describe to an American at home what the longer term impact is? Well, the longer-term impact, to put it very bluntly, is not good.

8:43You know, we staved off hunger in Gaza when it was finally the ceasefire held and we were able to get trucks in at scale. We're back to where we were. We can't get trucks in at scale. People are, you know, as you know, there's bombings, there's all those things. And we're looking at not just a serious situation, we're looking at possibly losing a generation of children. So in any of these countries where there's an issue, Lebanon, Gaza, Syria, Sudan, all the ones that I've been to, plus Ukraine, access and being able to get in at scale is most important. And making sure that our humanitarian workers are not targets and that we respect humanitarian law.

9:28And that simply isn't happening right now. It's very dangerous to be an aid worker right now.

9:33Margaret Brennan:What do you mean losing a generation of children? Well, when you talk about kids that are either not getting enough food or what they're getting is not nutritious enough, and plus there's no schools open and there's no proper housing, clean water, et cetera, medicine, et cetera, that spells disaster for a child especially. And so I'm obviously one that has a mother first and a grandmother six times over. And so I see it through my mother's eyes. You will do anything to feed your children, anything as a parent. And the fact that it's not happening in so many of these areas now is really alarming and very desperate.

10:17Margaret Brennan:I've heard you say, feed them now or fight them later. You draw a direct connection to national security and radicalization. Yes. No, you're absolutely right. We believe that because when folks who are hungry can't get adequate nutrition or food, they will turn to the bad guys because food's offered there. So it turns, if you see what I'm saying, it makes it very difficult for people to turn that down if they're trying to feed their families. And then in the meantime, we have a growing number of a lot of these factions around the world as a result of it. It's Jay Uso from WWE. And I'm Jimmy Uso.

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12:26Margaret Brennan:I want to come back to something you said about aid workers. According to the UN, there have been over 1 ,000 aid workers killed over the past three years. And I know you've been calling on global leaders to enforce humanitarian law. You've said it's never been harder to work in this field. Why do you think that is? Is it because there are just a growing number of conflicts? is there just no regard anymore for international law? I think it's a perfect storm of all of it, to be honest with you. People aren't caring. Factions aren't caring. The inability for us to move in, move in at scale, etc., all the things that we've talked about.

13:11And when you talk about conflict, that's what's happening. We have issues with climate change. We have issues with weather, etc. But the biggest problem in all this is conflict and ceasefire, allowing complete unfettered access, and most importantly, a full respect for humanitarian law and humanitarian aid workers. And that simply isn't happening at all right now. We had, as you know, as you may have seen, we had a convoy attacked last week, and then we had our warehouse blown up. And these were both in Ukraine.

13:49Margaret Brennan:I did see that. A drone hit a truck and Russia hit a warehouse with a missile. Right. In another day, with another, a missile, which you target, right? So it suggests deliberateness. In another day and age, the United States would have loudly condemned it. I didn't hear that happen. Well, I'm hoping that they will. You know, I have to believe in the good faith of the American people. and I'm hoping that they will stand up for what's right and for the people who cannot help themselves. But in the meantime, we're doing the very best we can. Our warehouses and our trucks are highly visible in terms of you know it's a WFP warehouse, you know it's a WFP truck.

14:33So you're correct, we believe they were targeted.

14:36Margaret Brennan:And we don't know the consequence yet for Russia in having done that. No, no. I was reading something that you said, and I want to come back to it because I think it's a pretty big statement. You recently were asked about the conservative movement and that within the conservative movement, aid, you said, has become a dirty word and being a humanitarian, useless. You're a lifelong conservative. when you describe things going this direction, that has to be hard to stomach. Why do you think this is happening? And do you think it is temporary? I will say this. Obviously, that was frustration speaking to a great degree.

15:28I believe there are many, many, many good people in the United States are more than willing to help this cause or help you know whatever whatever they see fit to do for all of this but we need more of it and we need we need actionable items from not just the united states but other countries around the globe that will stand up also and help us we can't do this alone and we're we're hoping as you know the united states is our largest donor and we're very proud of that but we need everybody

15:58Margaret Brennan:involved in this but you don't see china or russia stepping up or the european power stepping up No, but but again, I'm also a big believer in the good good nature of people. And I'm hopefully I can eventually put myself out of business. America, though, has changed its policy towards aid. The Trump administration uses that phrase phrase trade, not aid, arguing they're going to be more efficient and more effective with the support they provide in the form of foreign assistance. Um, when you look at the places you operate, do you think there has been an impact from the dismantling of USAID? I do.

16:45I really, I do. AID was, it was an intimate part of all of these things. And, and of course we relied on them, on them to a degree as well. Uh, I wish we still had AID, uh, but it was the choice of this administration. And so we have to work with that. I do. I am hoping, though, that eventually we can put back some of the soft power aspects that we were able to do as well. As you know, that's a very important part of at least USAID. But again, I'm not criticizing anybody in the administration. I'm simply saying we need help. Mm hmm.

17:23Margaret Brennan:The administration pushes back on any criticism of its choices, saying that it's unfair to burden the American taxpayer and with the full burden of taking care of every person on Earth. Mm hmm. Why? I don't disagree. Right. But why aren't more countries stepping up if if the United States is drawing this line? Is it just that there is a loss of faith in the United Nations and these international institutions? Or do they just not think it's in their interest to help the people that you say are going to become a threat to everyone's security? I think it's a little of everything. Listen, in the beginning, when I first took on WFP, I knew we needed to scale back.

18:07I knew we had to be slimmer. I knew we had to operate within our means. And that's exactly what we've done. We've managed to push that through, and that's how we operate now. Listen, every organization can do better and needs to scale down. I mean, that just happens. There was a time and place where money was flush within the U.N. agencies and within the entities that we work with as well. It's not that way anymore, and people have a right to ask how the money is being spent. I do not disagree with any of that. So it is important that the agencies scale back, that we become more nimble, more effective, better use of AI, better use of technology, all the things that we can do to make ourselves much better at what we do and make us much more efficient at what we do.

18:57So, you know, the U.S. government or I mean the U.S. people have a right to ask questions and so do other countries. I understand that. And we have the burden of making sure that we do exactly what we should be doing. And that is getting the most food and the most access to the people we serve. And those are ones who cannot help themselves.

19:16Margaret Brennan:You are stepping back from this job within the next few days. You have the McCain name, the power, the leadership abilities when you go up on Capitol Hill to lobby Republican lawmakers in particular to help overcome some of the reluctance we've been talking about. Who can fill this role after you? What advice do you have for them to be able to make the case that it is in America's national security to help the needy in the way that you're arguing? Well, first of all, I go to both sides because food security, in my opinion, is nonpartisan. So I talk to everybody. Anybody will talk to me about food security I talk to.

20:03I think this person, whoever this person is, I hope will lead from their heart because we push at WP, we believe in pushing everything to the field. Our frontline workers, the people that we serve, not keeping this at headquarters. It needs to go into the field. I hope whoever takes this job leads with their heart, understands the nature of what we're doing and the importance of it. And more importantly, is willing to take risks because that's what this job is.

20:35Margaret Brennan:Ambassador McCain, Executive Director, thank you for your time today. Thank you. Thank you. And we'll be right back.

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