YANGON — A letter from former US President Donald Trump to Myanmar’s military leader has drawn sharp concern from analysts, who say it risks inadvertently legitimising the junta ahead of the country’s long-delayed elections.

 

The letter, reportedly sent by Trump to junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, addressed a proposed 40 per cent tariff on Myanmar goods. According to state media in Naypyidaw, the general responded with a counteroffer of 10 to 20 per cent and pledged to lower import duties on US goods to as little as zero.

 

More controversially, Myanmar’s state media has portrayed the correspondence as a warm diplomatic exchange — calling Trump’s message an “encouraging invitation” and quoting Min Aung Hlaing as saying it was an “honour” to hear directly from the former president.

 

Observers have called it a “huge diplomatic gift” that risks undercutting Washington’s long-standing position of non-recognition of the junta, which seized power in a February 2021 coup that ousted the democratically elected government.

 

“This kind of contact, even if informal or commercial, can be spun by the junta as international acceptance,” one regional analyst said.

 

While the Biden administration has maintained sanctions and avoided any formal engagement with Myanmar’s military regime, Trump’s letter — even if purely economic in intent — may offer the junta propaganda mileage ahead of elections it hopes will lend a veneer of legitimacy.

 

Despite ASEAN's lack of urgency over Myanmar’s election timeline, pressure from China is expected to keep the junta on course for holding a vote, though few expect it to be free or fair.

 

Min Aung Hlaing has said he is willing to send a negotiation team to the US, further suggesting the junta sees a diplomatic opening where none was formally intended.

 

The US State Department has not yet commented publicly on the letter.

 

-2025-07-23

Myanmar has rare earth elements , so ...

Trump sure adores the worlds despots, dictators and nonelected leaders. I think it is a form of envy. Very bad form to acknowledge these genocidal creeps. Typical of the goon. 

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Trump sure adores the worlds despots, dictators and nonelected leaders. I think it is a form of envy. Very bad form to acknowledge these genocidal creeps. Typical of the goon. 

 

He looks so obsessed to get into the hall of bad guys...

 

Why did you write “former US President Donald Trump”? He’s currently the pres.