A 37-year-old U.S. Department of Agriculture official is on track to take the helm of the United Nations World Food Programme, stepping into a job that oversees hunger relief for tens of millions of people even as the agency's funding shrinks. Luke Lindberg, who currently serves as USDA under secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, would succeed Cindy McCain in the Rome-based post.
Selection Comes With One Caveat
According to DTN Progressive Farmer, Lindberg has been selected to become the next executive director of the World Food Programme, though the outlet notes the selection is pending final consultations. A statement from WFP USA, however, describes the appointment of Luke J. Lindberg of the United States as executive director in more definitive terms. The appointment, per DTN, covers a five-year term in the Rome-based role.
Lindberg would replace Cindy McCain, who led the WFP from April 2023 through May 2026, according to the WFP USA statement. Carl Skau, the agency's deputy executive director and chief operating officer, took on the role of acting executive director in June and is expected to remain in that post until Lindberg formally takes over, the statement notes.
A Career Spanning Trade Promotion and Food Aid
Before joining USDA, Lindberg founded South Dakota Trade and served as its president and chief executive from November 2022 through August 2025, per the WFP USA statement. He also previously served as chief of staff and chief strategy officer for the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the same statement says. At USDA, Lindberg oversaw the McGovern-Dole Food for Education program and the Food for Progress programs, according to Agri-Pulse.
The agency's ties to Lindberg's current role run deeper than staffing alone. USDA and the WFP intend to enter an agreement committing up to $452 million in fiscal 2025 Food for Peace assistance, according to Feedstuffs.
Family Ties and a Disputed Hometown
Lindberg is the son-in-law of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., according to The Fence Post. Accounts of his background diverge on one point: the WFP USA statement describes him as a native of South Dakota, while The Fence Post reports that Lindberg is a native of Vermont who holds a bachelor's degree, a master of public policy, and an MBA from the University of Maryland.
An Agency Under Financial Strain
The WFP aims to reach 100 million people across nearly 83 countries with food assistance this year, per the WFP USA statement. The appointment lands as U.S. foreign aid fell by roughly $26 billion in fiscal 2025 amid Trump administration cuts to foreign-assistance spending and a restructuring of international food-aid programs, DTN reports. Acting director Skau has spoken frequently about the WFP's need for additional donations to address food shortages in the Middle East and other parts of the world, the outlet notes.
The United States has been the WFP's largest donor and strongest advocate since the agency's founding in 1961, according to the WFP USA statement. Lindberg's selection also continues a UN practice, in place since 1992, of naming an American to head the WFP, DTN reports. The Fence Post reports that the UN received 54 nominations or applications for the post, shortlisted nine candidates, and narrowed the field to four finalists before settling on Lindberg.
