In a striking statement delivered on April 4, 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that the United States can no longer shoulder the majority of the world’s humanitarian aid burden.
Speaking to reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Rubio called on other wealthy nations to step up their contributions, particularly in the wake of a devastating earthquake in Myanmar.
This announcement, reported across multiple news outlets, marks a significant pivot in U.S. foreign policy under the current administration and has sparked widespread discussion about the future of global humanitarian efforts.
According to Reuters, Rubio emphasized that the U.S. would continue to provide humanitarian assistance but would no longer bear 60-70% of the global load, as it has historically done.
“We’ll do it the best we can,” Rubio said, “but we also have other needs we have to balance that against.”
This shift comes amid President Donald Trump’s recent 90-day pause on all U.S. foreign aid, an action taken on his first day in office that has disrupted programs worldwide.
The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), a key player in delivering aid, has further complicated the situation, with staff layoffs and grant terminations throwing relief efforts into disarray.
Yahoo News highlighted Rubio’s rejection of criticism that the U.S. response to the Myanmar earthquake was sluggish due to USAID’s dissolution.
Instead, Rubio pointed to logistical challenges, noting that Myanmar’s military junta restricts U.S. operations in the country. “It’s not the easiest place to work,” he told reporters, underscoring the junta’s opposition to American involvement.
This perspective was echoed by the United Nations Human Rights Office, which, as reported by bdnews24.com, accused Myanmar’s military of deliberately limiting aid to earthquake victims in areas of political opposition.
The policy shift has drawn mixed reactions. bdnews24.com reported Rubio’s argument that it is unfair for the U.S. to fund global aid disproportionately while other “rich countries” contribute less.
This sentiment aligns with the Trump administration’s broader push, alongside billionaire Elon Musk, to shrink federal spending—a move that has seen USAID largely dismantled.
However, critics argue that the timing of this retreat, amid a humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, could exacerbate suffering and destabilize already fragile regions.
Posts on X reflect a range of public sentiments, with some users tying Rubio’s stance to broader geopolitical tensions, including references to China, though no direct link was specified in news reports.
The Straits Times noted that the pause on foreign aid and USAID’s downsizing have “jeopardized the delivery of life-saving food and medical aid,” signaling potential chaos in global relief efforts as other nations scramble to fill the gap.
