White House nominates USDA Undersecretary Luke J. Lindberg to lead
World Food Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A South Dakotan is the odds-on favorite to become the next head of the United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP).

Luke J. Lindberg of Harrisburg has been nominated by President Donald Trump to succeed Cindy McCain as the WFP’s chief executive officer. He has served as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs since early 2025.

“Luke J. Lindberg … brings exceptional qualifications to this role. As Under Secretary, he oversees the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program and Food for Progress program, and has worked to restructure the Food for Peace program through an innovative, accountable model,” according to a statement released Wednesday by the United States Department of State, referencing South Dakota’s own George McGovern, who helped establish the WFP during his time in the U.S. Senate. “(Lindberg’s) experience managing large-scale operations and expertise navigating complex international partnerships demonstrate proven operational excellence at the scale required for WFP leadership.”

Lindberg’s nomination to the post comes a year after being confirmed to his undersecretary spot in the Department of Agriculture by the U.S. Senate. In that role, he’s serves as a spokesman for the administration’s efforts to address trade barriers for U.S. agricultural exports.

USDA recently took over management of the Food for Peace program and is partnering with the WFP to deliver more than 200,000 tons of international food aid, which also falls under Lindberg’s oversight as a federal official.

“South Dakota has a storied past with the World Food Programme, starting with Sen. McGovern’s leadership at its conception,” Lindberg said in a statement provided to The Dakota Scout. “I’m honored that President Trump has nominated me for this important role and look forward to the opportunity to continue South Dakota’s legacy in feeding hungry people around the world.”

The White House’s nomination of Lindberg, 37, comes after McCain announced in February that she was stepping down from the WFP post over health concerns. The widow of the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., suffered a mild stroke in October. She took the job in 2023.

Lindberg’s nomination coincides with a push by the Trump administration to reshape foreign aid, and as U.S. and European spending on international assistance has declined.

The United States is the largest donor to the WFP and traditionally nominates the executive director. The position is formally appointed to a five-year term by the U.N. secretary-general and the director-general of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

If confirmed, Lindberg would oversee more than 20,000 WFP employees and a budget that has topped $12 billion annually.