WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has announced the final wave of job cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), effectively dismantling the decades-old agency, even as President Donald Trump pledged aid to Myanmar following a devastating earthquake.
Despite USAID’s central role in disaster relief, including coordinating earthquake response, an internal memo revealed that all remaining staff not protected by law will be terminated by July or September. The agency’s functions are to be absorbed by the State Department, which will begin a separate hiring process.
The decision sparked outrage among humanitarian experts and lawmakers. Representative Gregory Meeks called the move illegal and a withdrawal from America’s global leadership. Former USAID officials warned that the cuts cripple the agency’s ability to respond effectively to disasters like the recent Myanmar-Thailand earthquake, which has claimed over 700 lives.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the reorganization, claiming USAID had strayed from its mission. Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has overseen the controversial cuts and even gained access to USAID’s systems.
Though the Trump administration insists that aid will still reach Myanmar, critics argue the dismantling of USAID undermines America’s ability to respond to crises and opens the door for rivals like China and Russia to step in.