A globally recognized U.S. disaster response program has collapsed due to the Trump administration’s decision to freeze USAID funding. The Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs), known for their rapid humanitarian response, are now non-operational, leaving crisis-hit regions without critical aid.
DARTs Rendered Useless Amid USAID Freeze
The Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs), designed for emergency disaster relief, have been crippled by USAID’s funding halt. Traditionally, DART teams have provided life-saving aid during global crises, including the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and conflicts in Iraq and Syria. However, due to President Donald Trump’s decision to cut USAID funding, the four DART teams currently stationed in Afghanistan, Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine are now unable to operate effectively.
According to multiple USAID employees, who spoke on condition of anonymity, some DART members have been recalled to Washington, while others lost access to crucial electronic communication systems. This logistical collapse means that DART teams can no longer coordinate disaster responses, leaving vulnerable populations without vital U.S. humanitarian support.
USAID Staff Blocked from Their Own Headquarters
The situation worsens as USAID personnel in Washington, who support DART teams globally, are now barred from their offices. Without classified access and essential coordination tools, forming new DART units has become impossible.
“The tools we rely on have been dismantled,” said a USAID official familiar with the crisis.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s larger plan to merge USAID into the State Department and lay off a significant portion of its workforce raises serious questions about the future of DART operations. Despite repeated inquiries, the State Department has yet to clarify the agency’s fate.
A Humanitarian Crisis Without DART Teams
Experts warn that eliminating DART teams severely weakens U.S. global leadership in disaster response. The Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), which manages DART operations, has yet to confirm how many of its 1,300 staff members will be retained. Last week, USAID informed its workforce that only 600 essential employees out of 10,000 would remain, though specific details remain unclear.
“DARTs represent a unique civilian capability that allows the U.S. to maintain its humanitarian leadership,” said Marcia Wong, former deputy head of BHA.
With an annual budget of $9.9 billion, BHA has always operated under the motto “minutes matter” when responding to disasters. DART teams are trained to deploy within hours, using any means necessary from helicopters in Turkey to canoes in South Sudan and camels in Ethiopia to deliver aid. Their presence in war zones and natural disaster sites has been critical in preventing famines, controlling pandemics, and delivering emergency relief.
A senior Western government aid official emphasized the devastating impact of DART’s absence:
“DART teams have risked their lives from Afghanistan to Somalia. Their disappearance will be felt worldwide.”
Will the U.S. Abandon Its Humanitarian Role?
As the Trump administration’s cuts take effect, we all are watching to see if the U.S. will walk away from its long-standing humanitarian commitments, or if an alternative solution will emerge to fill the void left by the DART shutdown.
