US Eases Sanctions on Myanmar Allies Following Junta Leader’s Praise of Trump

US Lifts Sanctions on Myanmar Junta Associates After General Appeals to Trump.

The United States on Thursday removed sanctions on several close associates of Myanmar’s military leadership, just weeks after the junta’s top general praised former President Donald Trump and urged a rollback of punitive measures.

The decision has sparked outrage among human rights advocates, who warned it may signal a broader shift in U.S. policy toward Myanmar’s military regime, which seized power in a 2021 coup and has since been accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

In a notice posted Thursday, the U.S. Treasury Department said it had delisted four individuals and three companies previously sanctioned for their ties to Myanmar’s military or involvement in the country’s defense sector. Those removed include KT Services & Logistics and its founder Jonathan Myo Kyaw Thaung; the MCM Group and its owner Aung Hlaing Oo; Suntac Technologies and its owner Sit Taing Aung; and another junta associate, Tin Latt Min.

KT Services & Logistics and Jonathan Myo Kyaw Thaung were originally sanctioned in January 2022, on the first anniversary of the coup, under the Biden administration. The others were added in subsequent waves of sanctions, with Tin Latt Min designated as recently as 2024 to mark the coup’s third anniversary.

The Treasury Department did not provide a rationale for the removals, and the White House declined to comment.

Human Rights Watch described the decision as “extremely worrying.”

“This action suggests a major shift is underway in U.S. policy,” said John Sifton, the group’s Asia advocacy director. “It will cause deep concern among victims of the Myanmar military and all those fighting for the return of democratic governance.”

The move came two weeks after Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing sent a letter to former President Trump calling for a reduction in U.S. tariffs and the lifting of economic sanctions. In the letter, Min Aung Hlaing proposed cutting Myanmar’s export tariff to the U.S. from 40% to a range of 10%–20%, and offered to reduce Myanmar’s own import duties on American goods. He also suggested sending a delegation to Washington to negotiate.

According to Myanmar state media, Min Aung Hlaing praised Trump’s “strong leadership” and “patriotic spirit,” framing improved relations as a matter of mutual interest.

Myanmar’s appeal to Trump comes as his administration intensifies efforts to reduce U.S. dependence on China for critical rare earth minerals, which are used in advanced defense systems and high-tech consumer electronics. Myanmar is among the world’s largest sources of rare earths, although many mines are located in areas controlled by the anti-junta Kachin Independence Army and are processed in China.

Despite the junta’s outreach, Washington has not formally recognized the military regime, and U.S. officials have previously emphasized support for democratic forces in Myanmar. The sudden delisting of junta-linked figures, however, has raised questions about whether a quiet shift in priorities is underway.

“The U.S. has spent the last three years targeting junta enablers,” Sifton said. “To quietly walk that back without explanation is both disturbing and confusing.”