Two days after Nepal's catastrophic 2015 earthquake, USAID deployed a 128-member disaster response team and pledged $10 million in humanitarian aid. The agency provided miles of tarp for shelters, built temporary bamboo schools, and used mapping technology for clean water access. In contrast, two weeks after this year's devastating flash floods — triggered by a glacial fall leaving more than 5,000 dead or missing — the U.S. has sent only $3.6 million for food aid to 10,000 households. USAID is "conspicuous by its absence," said Corey O'Hara, an international development expert in Nepal who oversaw a USAID program closeout last year. He called the difference in U.S. response "night and day" and noted the current response is "invisible."

Nonprofit groups funded by USAID have shut down programs since the Trump administration gutted the agency early last year, hampering relief efforts. Nepal's Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle said the American retreat has cascaded, emboldening other rich countries to reduce foreign aid commitments. He expects official development assistance grants to drop, though recovery traditionally relies on long-term loans. Nepal argues it deserves compensation for climate change impacts from major polluters rather than charity. The State Department defended its response as "fast, flexible and driven by conditions on the ground," claiming dismantling USAID allowed more efficient resource deployment. Since 1951, the U.S. has given Nepal over $1.5 billion in grants.