How will the dismantling of USAID affect U.S. relief efforts in Jamaica?

Volunteers assemble relief packages for Hurricane Melissa at the Global Empowerment Mission headquarters in Miami, Fla., on October 27, 2025. The traditional role that the United States plays in disaster relief around the world will be affected by the dismantling of USAID.

USAID was the lead American agency in disaster response. Now that it's been dismantled, questions are arising about how effective U.S. relief efforts will be in Jamaica after the hurricane.

(Image credit: Chandan Khanna/AFP)