The United States is notable by its absence in the aftermath of a devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, with Chinese rescue teams taking center stage.
At least 15 Asian and Western government rescue teams have arrived on the scene, providing aid and assistance to hundreds of workers, alongside initial pledges of financial aid totaling tens of millions of dollars. However, unlike other countries, the US has not sent any known search-and-rescue teams or disaster-response crews beyond a three-member assessment team that arrived days after the quake.
The US government’s absence is attributed to its retreat from decades of American policy, which prioritized both hard power and soft aid to deter enemies, win friends, and steer events. The Trump administration has frozen USAID funding, terminated thousands of contracts, and fired most of its staff globally, citing a narrower interpretation of work that serves US strategic and economic interests.
The first announcement of help from the US came days later, with a three-member assessment team and a $2 million aid package. However, this is dwarfed by the roughly $2 billion in payments owed to nonprofit humanitarian groups and other contractors, which has forced larger aid operations to scale back services and slash staff.
Nonprofit groups are struggling to cope with the US’s unpaid back bills, which they normally use for sudden unplanned disasters like the Myanmar quake. The State Department declined to comment on how NGOs manage their financing.
Other countries, including Britain, China, India, and the United Arab Emirates, have pledged significant aid and assistance. Chinese rescuers had already pulled out several survivors within 48 hours of the quake, with nine survivors rescued by Wednesday.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-quake-usaid-trump-musk-9a6599ea15a0def922a4cb66e114b23e