washington president donald trump administration drop plan executive order require u.s. food aid transport american ship members congress protest congressional aid source say friday reuters report thursday trump consider issue order would increase 100 percent current requirement 50 percent aid transport u.s.-flagged vessels senator bob corker republican chairman senate foreign relations committee stop short confirm information order say discuss issue trump understand shift would increase cost food aid cause people starve good conversation today president trump corker say statement email reuters businessman understand expand cargo preference would substantially drive cost food aid cause people starve around world corker say white house immediately respond request comment although unlikely significant effect trillion global cargo ship industry initiative originally tout part trump america first platform might slow food aid get millions people little create job critics say aid group members congress party work years low eliminate 50 percent ship requirement unite state world large provider humanitarian assistance spend 2.8 billion foreign food aid 2016. half estimate go ship storage conservative-leaning american enterprise institute say november report ship food aid u.s.-flagged vessels cost 46 percent aid ship internationally competitive rat take much 14 weeks long jeremy konyndyk former director usaid office u.s. foreign disaster assistance welcome administration decision drop order konyndyk senior policy fellow washington-based center global development say four potential famines world would bad possible moment shift money hungry mouth subsidies big ship conglomerate corker push years reform u.s. food aid program include eliminate cargo preference say statement look forward work congress administration achieve long overdue reform hear possible executive order several members congress call white house express concern congressional aid say administration budget proposal suggest slash foreign aid general increase defense spend plan also meet stiff opposition congress lawmakers argue soft power options food medical aid disaster recovery assistance effective tool foreign policy discount supporters say trump initiative would create new u.s. job ship industry u.s.-controlled food shipments important national security u.s. fleet could transfer military case conflict food aid small percentage worldwide sea cargo flow critics argue security issue moot cargo ship slow use 21st century military say cost would also far high eliminate competition ship contract lower-cost international carriers require u.s. taxpayer dollars fee few people exclusive trump drop plan order tighten food aid ship rule source