CAMEROON – The United Nations on Friday named U.S. agriculture official Luke Lindberg as the next executive director of the World Food Program, the global food agency that describes itself as the world’s first responder to hunger during wars, disasters and other emergencies.
Lindberg, who is the son-in-law of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, currently serves as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs. He will succeed Cindy McCain at the Rome-based World Food Program.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and Qu Dongyu, director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization, announced the selection jointly after WFP’s executive board endorsed the appointment.
At 37, Lindberg takes charge at a particularly difficult moment for WFP fundraising efforts. The donation-funded agency says up to 266 million people are experiencing acute hunger worldwide, yet budget reductions mean it expects to reach only 110 million people this year.
The United States has long been WFP’s biggest contributor, and an American has led the U.N. food agency since the early 1990s.
Lindberg has held his USDA post for a little more than a year. President Donald Trump nominated him to lead the World Food Program.
A South Dakota native, Lindberg founded and led the South Dakota Trade Association, where he helped expand the state’s exports. During Trump’s first administration, he also worked at the U.S. Export-Import Bank as chief of staff and chief strategy officer.
Guterres and Qu thanked McCain, the widow of late Arizona Sen. and Republican presidential nominee John McCain, for her service and leadership at WFP. McCain stepped down in February after suffering a mild stroke in October 2025.
In a joint statement, they said McCain guided the organization through “one of the most demanding periods in its history” and remained a strong advocate for people facing conflict, natural disasters and extreme hunger, as well as the staff working on the front lines.
The two U.N. leaders also recognized Carl Skau, WFP’s deputy executive director, who has served as acting chief since McCain’s departure. Skau will remain in the role until Lindberg assumes leadership.
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