Myanmar junta chief hails Trump in rare overture, seeks tariff cuts
Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing asks US president for a sharp reduction in 40 per cent tariff rate
Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing praised Donald Trump in a rare letter and compared his military’s coup to the US president’s baseless claims of election fraud, suggesting both leaders were victims of rigged votes.
“Similar to the challenges you encountered during the 2020 election of the US, we also experienced major electoral fraud and significant irregularities,” Min Aung Hlaing wrote to Trump, in the regime’s first known direct correspondence with the US government in over four years.
The Myanmar junta has offered no credible evidence to support their claims, US officials have said, and numerous US courts have rejected Trump’s claims of fraud.
In the letter released by the ruling State Administration Council, the general praised Trump’s leadership “with the spirit of a true patriot” and his efforts to promote global peace.
The outreach comes as the isolated regime, shunned by most Western nations, seeks international legitimacy beyond its key partners China and Russia.
Min Aung Hlaing also appealed for US sanctions relief, requesting that Trump help ease or lift restrictions imposed after the 2021 military takeover that ousted the elected, civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi.