Three U.S. aid workers were dismissed while in Myanmar assisting with rescue and recovery efforts following the country’s devastating earthquake, a former senior official has revealed, as cuts to U.S. foreign aid impact disaster response efforts.
The three USAID employees, who had traveled to Myanmar to provide humanitarian relief, were informed this week that they would be let go, according to Marcia Wong, a former senior official at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
“This team has been working tirelessly to deliver aid to those in need. To receive news of their imminent termination in the midst of such a crisis—how can that not be demoralizing?” said Wong, who previously served as deputy administrator of USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, which oversees Washington’s overseas disaster response.
The U.S. has committed at least $9 million in aid following the magnitude-7.7 earthquake that has claimed over 3,300 lives. However, significant budget cuts to USAID under President Donald Trump’s administration have weakened its response capabilities, while countries like China, Russia, and India have swiftly provided assistance.
The Trump administration has recently moved to dismiss nearly all USAID staff as part of a broader initiative by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to reduce spending and eliminate what it calls excessive costs across federal agencies.
The three laid-off USAID workers have reportedly been sleeping outdoors in the earthquake zone, alongside residents fearful of aftershocks and further building collapses. Wong, who remains in touch with remaining USAID staff, said she learned of the terminations following an all-staff meeting on Friday. The dismissals will take effect in a few months.
Former USAID employees say that most personnel responsible for coordinating the response have already been removed, while contracts for third-party implementing partners have been canceled.
The U.S. State Department has not yet commented on the situation. However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed claims that USAID’s dismantling had slowed Washington’s response to the March 28 earthquake.
“Myanmar is not the easiest place to operate,” Rubio told reporters in Brussels on Friday, arguing that the country’s military-led government has long opposed U.S. involvement and obstructs its operations.
The United Nations has similarly accused Myanmar’s junta of restricting humanitarian aid.
Rubio also emphasized that the U.S. will no longer bear the primary burden of global humanitarian aid, urging other wealthy nations to take greater responsibility in assisting Myanmar.
