Democratic senators criticize Trump administration’s response to Myanmar quake disaster

ISTANBUL

Democratic senators Wednesday criticized the Trump administration for its delayed and inadequate response to Myanmar’s earthquake disaster, urging a stronger emergency aid effort.

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.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Christopher Coons, Tim Kaine, Tammy Duckworth, Chris Van Hollen, and Jeffrey A. Merkley said the deadly quake has prompted swift action from several nations, including China, Russia, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand, but “is unclear what, if any, emergency response the United States has marshaled thus far.”

The letter underlined that this is the first test of Washington’s ability to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the wake of the administration’s foreign assistance review and attempted dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

“We are deeply concerned that the Administration’s response is failing to meet both our moral and strategic objectives – sending a signal to countries around the world that our adversaries are more reliable and trustworthy than the United States,” the letter said.

Referring to sanctions on Myanmar since its 2021 coup, it continued: “We ask that you make clear that U.S. sanctions will not impede providing critical relief in the wake of this natural disaster, and we urge you to organize 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 used to be known as Burma.

The senators also questioned why the administration had not deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), a group typically sent to large-scale disasters.

“DARTs include crisis specialist contractors who can deploy quickly, but the Trump Administration has fired many of them and has dissolved the infrastructure to support these teams,” it added.

Rescuers continued efforts to reach survivors as the death toll from last Friday's earthquake in Myanmar exceeded 3,000 with hundreds still missing, state media reported on Thursday.

A massive 7.7 quake last Friday struck mostly the Southeast Asian nation's central region -- home to 28 million people – toppling buildings, and leaving communities without food, water, and shelter.

Some 53 aid flights have so far landed in Myanmar, while over 1,900 rescue workers arrived from 15 countries, including Southeast Asian neighbors, as well as China, India, and Russia.