The administration of US President Donald Trump informed Congress on March 28 of plans to cut nearly all remaining jobs at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and close the agency - even as the president pledged American assistance to Myanmar following a devastating earthquake, Reuters reports.

The decision has raised alarm among humanitarian aid experts, who argue that USAID has been instrumental in enhancing Washington’s global influence and saving lives for more than six decades. Crucial to the role the agency plays are its efforts in coordinating earthquake relief.

The move has also drawn political opposition, with senior figures in Congress warning that shutting down USAID is unlawful and represents a deliberate attempt to undermine the United States’ global leadership role. However, despite the controversy, Reuters reports President Trump as saying the same day that he had already spoken with officials in Myanmar to assure them that the US would be providing support in response to the earthquake.

A M7.7 earthquake devastated parts of Myanmar with a running death toll now estimated to have passed 1,000, with claims from the US Geological Survey that this figure could ultimately hit 10,000. Neighbouring Thailand to the east was also hit hard due to a major building collapse broadcast around the world and claims from the site that there are still up to 100 workers missing under the rubble.

Meanwhile, in the US, a State Department spokesperson is understood to have said that the restructuring of USAID would not prove a hindrance to Washington’s ability to deploy a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART). Claims had been made in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake that the administration’s sweeping cuts to personnel and funding have significantly weakened the agency’s ability to send disaster response teams to Thailand and Myanmar, which in turn creates an opportunity for rival powers such as China, Russia and even India to step in.

Teams from China and Russia as well as India are now understood to be on the ground in Myanmar and Thailand, while the US and USAID remains noticeably absent.