"Myanmar's junta chief lauds Trump, urges end to sanctions"

Myanmar’s Military Leader Commends Donald Trump, Requests Sanctions Relief

Myanmar’s military leader has expressed admiration for Donald Trump and urged him to remove sanctions, as the ruling junta seized on a tariff-related message from the former U.S. president, seen as Washington’s first public acknowledgment of its authority.

Min Aung Hlaing, who took control following a 2021 coup, conveyed his gratitude for Trump’s letter, which warned of a potential 40% tariff on Myanmar’s exports. He praised Trump’s “strong leadership” and his commitment to guiding the U.S. toward prosperity with “the spirit of a true patriot.”

The U.S. government does not formally engage with Min Aung Hlaing or the military regime, which ousted the elected administration of Aung San Suu Kyi. The letter was part of a series of near-identical messages Trump sent to global leaders earlier this week.

“This is the first public formal recognition I’ve observed,” noted Richard Horsey, a Myanmar specialist at the International Crisis Group, calling it “a benefit to the regime.”

While such communications may have been exchanged privately before, Horsey said it was improbable that Trump had previously sent them. He suggested the military government might exploit this as an opportunity to push for “unofficial renormalization of relations with the U.S.”

In his reply, Min Aung Hlaing compared Myanmar’s 2020 election, decisively won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, to the U.S. presidential election the same year, won by Joe Biden. He repeated unfounded allegations of electoral misconduct in both instances.

“Like the issues you faced during the 2020 U.S. election, we also witnessed widespread electoral fraud and irregularities,” the military leader wrote.

Additionally, Min Aung Hlaing thanked Trump for “imposing controls on broadcasting and funding.” Trump had earlier withdrawn financial support for Voice of America and Radio Free Asia, outlets known for their independent reporting on Myanmar’s unrest and the military’s persistent human rights violations.

Min Aung Hlaing is under U.S. sanctions for his involvement in the violent suppression of the Rohingya minority, a case now before the International Court of Justice for genocide allegations. He was also penalized following the 2021 coup, which triggered ongoing conflict in Myanmar.

The junta leader asked Trump to “reconsider reducing or eliminating economic sanctions on Myanmar,” proposing a tariff rate of 10%-20%, while offering lower duties of 0%-10% on U.S. goods imported to Myanmar in return.