Following a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar that resulted in over 2,000 fatalities, the U.S. government announced a commitment of $2 million in aid and deployed a small emergency response team from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to assess the situation. However, as of the latest reports, this team had not yet entered Myanmar, raising concerns about the timeliness of the U.S. response.

In contrast, international teams from China and Russia have already mobilized, with Chinese personnel arriving within 18 hours of the earthquake. China has provided $14 million in aid and deployed over 400 personnel to assist in recovery efforts, highlighting its capacity to respond rapidly in humanitarian crises.

The U.S. response has been characterized as slower than in previous emergencies, such as the 2023 earthquake in Morocco and catastrophic flooding in Libya, where USAID's Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) were deployed almost immediately. The current situation is further complicated by the Trump administration's efforts to dismantle USAID, which included significant staff layoffs and funding cuts. This restructuring has raised questions about the U.S. government's ability to effectively respond to humanitarian crises.

State Department officials have stated that while the reorganization has had some logistical impacts, they reject the notion that funding cuts have directly limited the earthquake response. Nonetheless, humanitarian organizations have expressed concern that the dismantling of USAID has severely compromised the U.S. government's capacity to provide timely assistance in emergencies.

As U.S. military personnel collaborate with Thai first responders in Bangkok, where a high-rise building also collapsed due to the earthquake, discussions are ongoing regarding a more extensive response, including the potential deployment of a DART team. The initial $2 million in aid will be distributed through partner organizations already active in the affected areas, but the overall effectiveness of this response remains to be seen.