Washington: Democratic senators on Wednesday criticized the Trump administration for its delayed and inadequate response to Myanmar's earthquake disaster, urging a stronger emergency aid effort.
According to Anadolu Agency, in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, six Democratic senators condemned the administration's handling of the crisis. Senators Elizabeth Warren, Christopher Coons, Tim Kaine, Tammy Duckworth, Chris Van Hollen, and Jeffrey A. Merkley highlighted that the deadly quake has prompted swift action from several nations, including China, Russia, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand. However, they stated it is unclear what, if any, emergency response the United States has marshaled thus far.
The letter emphasized that this disaster is the first test of Washington's ability to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief following the administration's foreign assistance review and attempted dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The senators expressed deep concern that the administration's response is failing to meet both moral and strategic objectives, potentially sending a signal to countries worldwide that U.S. adversaries are more reliable and trustworthy.
Addressing the sanctions on Myanmar since its 2021 coup, the letter urged that U.S. sanctions should not impede critical relief efforts. It called for a stronger emergency assistance effort as the death toll climbs and millions of displaced people endure both aftershocks from the earthquake and ongoing Burmese military airstrikes. Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is facing a severe crisis following the disaster.
The senators also questioned the administration's decision not to deploy a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), which is typically sent to large-scale disasters. They noted that DARTs include crisis specialist contractors who can deploy quickly, but many have been fired, and the infrastructure to support these teams has been dissolved under the Trump administration.
Rescuers continued efforts to reach survivors as the death toll from last Friday's earthquake in Myanmar exceeded 3,000, with hundreds still missing, according to state media reports on Thursday. The massive 7.7 magnitude quake struck mostly the central region of the Southeast Asian nation, which is home to 28 million people, toppling buildings and leaving communities without food, water, and shelter.