Over a week after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, the death toll has approached 3,500. The US has only dispatched three personnel from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to assess the situation, but reports indicate they received layoff notices upon arrival.
On April 5, Reuters quoted Marcia Wong, former deputy director of one office of USAID, stating that the three staff members were informed of their layoffs after arriving in Myanmar last week. She remarked, "This team is working very hard to provide humanitarian aid to those in need. How can news of their impending layoffs not be disheartening?"
Wong noted that the staff had been sleeping on the streets in the earthquake-affected area and that their layoffs would take effect in a few months. She mentioned that she learned of the layoffs during a staff meeting on April 4.
USAID is the federal agency responsible for most non-military foreign aid. Recently, as part of a government initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk to eliminate wasteful spending, the Trump administration has reportedly laid off nearly all USAID staff. Reports from former USAID employees indicate that most personnel responsible for coordinating disaster responses have been let go, and third-party partners are also losing contracts.
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