In a rare diplomatic move, Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing has reached out directly to former U.S. President Donald Trump, requesting significant reductions in trade tariffs and sanctions imposed on the junta following the 2021 coup.
In a letter released by Myanmar’s ruling State Administration Council, Min Aung Hlaing praised Trump as a “true patriot” and drew a controversial comparison between Myanmar’s 2020 general elections and the U.S. presidential election the same year. The general echoed Trump’s widely debunked claims of voter fraud, stating that Myanmar had experienced “major electoral fraud and significant irregularities” during its own election — the same claims the military used to justify seizing power from the elected civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
U.S. officials and international observers have consistently rejected the junta’s allegations, stating there is no credible evidence of widespread fraud in Myanmar’s 2020 election. Similarly, U.S. courts have dismissed Trump’s election fraud claims due to lack of substantiation.
Despite this, Min Aung Hlaing extended an olive branch to Washington, proposing that Myanmar dispatch a high-level delegation for trade negotiations. He specifically urged Trump to advocate for a sharp reduction of the planned 40 percent tariff on Myanmar imports, suggesting a revised rate between 10 and 20 percent. In exchange, Myanmar would offer U.S. goods a more favorable tariff of 0 to 10 percent.
Myanmar’s total bilateral trade with the United States stood at around US$734 million in 2024, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative — a modest figure but critical for a regime grappling with international isolation, economic instability, and ongoing civil unrest.
The letter marks the junta’s first known direct outreach to the U.S. government in over four years and is seen as part of its broader attempt to break out of diplomatic isolation, where China and Russia have remained its primary backers.
While Myanmar’s military government faces resistance from pro-democracy armed groups and international condemnation, it has announced plans to hold national elections in December — a move widely seen as an attempt to legitimize its rule amidst deepening unrest.
