On Wednesday, Navyn Salem, the owner of Rhode Island-based company Edesia, received a letter from the federal government terminating her contract. Edesia is known for its life-saving therapeutic paste that is used in treating severely malnourished infants. However, the contract termination was short-lived, as she received an email the following day rescinding the termination.

Despite the reversal, Salem is not at ease. She describes the government as being in a state of chaos, referencing her company’s contract termination and its subsequent cancellation within a 24-hour period.

In recent weeks, the USAID State Department agency has been under scrutiny from Elon Musk, an advisor to President Trump and the world’s wealthiest individual. Musk has been advocating for the closure of the agency, which has resulted in disruptions to the supply chain, impacting various global life-saving initiatives.

Salem’s contract with USAID has remained active, barring the brief termination on Wednesday. She has voiced concerns about the agency’s operational issues, including staff layoffs and the unavailability of the payment system she relies on.

The uncertainty has affected all aspects of her business, from her 150 employees, her American suppliers across 25 states, the U.S. ocean liners used to ship Edesia’s Plumpy’Nut therapeutic paste, and finally, the international organizations that distribute the paste to malnourished children.

Edesia’s Plumpy’Nut is a ready-to-use therapeutic food used to treat severe acute malnutrition in children as young as six months old. It is a peanut-based paste enriched with vitamins, minerals, and milk powder, aligning with the World Health Organization’s guidelines. The company produces 800 metric tons of Plumpy’Nut and other malnutrition treatment foods every week.

Despite the challenges, Salem is hopeful that her company’s mission aligns with the Trump administration’s priorities. She acknowledges that USAID could operate more efficiently and has ideas for improvement based on her years of working with the agency. However, she is currently more focused on processing payments.

The State Department has stated that it has ended more than 90% of its USAID contracts, with only the ones believed to contribute to America’s strength, safety, and prosperity being retained. This is part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to reduce the federal workforce and budget.

Every packet of Plumpy’Nut produced by Edesia carries the phrase “from the American people”. Salem believes this message to the parents and caregivers of malnourished children is a vital part of her company’s mission.

She also mentioned that China is ready to fill the gap if the United States withdraws its support for crucial healthcare in certain parts of the world.

Salem sees the delivery of food to people in dire need as a potent use of soft power.