Cindy McCain has announced her intention to resign as executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme, citing health reasons after a mild stroke last year.
In a brief statement posted on X, McCain said she had hoped to complete her term but that her health "has not recovered to a level that allows me to fully serve the enormous demands of this job." She called the decision "one of the most difficult" she had made.
McCain took up leadership of the WFP in 2023, after a period serving as the United States ambassador to the United Nations agencies for food and agriculture. In October she experienced a mild stroke; at the time, the WFP said she was expected to make a full recovery. McCain returned home to Arizona to recuperate and had planned to resume work at the agency's headquarters in Rome once doctors cleared her.
Her announcement means the position will become vacant, allowing U.S. President Donald Trump - who has been a vocal critic of the United Nations - to propose a successor to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The United States is traditionally the largest donor to the WFP, a fact that shapes the agency's funding dynamics.
The statement on X framed the decision in personal and practical terms: McCain acknowledged the demands of the post and her inability to meet them at this stage of recovery. Beyond that, the public record in her announcement is limited to the reasons she gave related to health and recovery plans made following the October episode.
With her resignation, the WFP will enter a transition period in leadership. The available details focus on McCain's health and prior roles leading up to her appointment; there are no additional public comments in the announcement about the timetable for her departure or the process and timing for identifying and confirming a successor.
Context provided by the announcement:
- McCain cited persistent health effects following a mild stroke as the reason for stepping down.
- She assumed the WFP leadership role in 2023 after serving as U.S. ambassador to UN food and agriculture agencies.
- The resignation opens the way for the U.S. president to nominate a replacement to the U.N. secretary-general; the U.S. has historically been the WFP's largest donor.