Trump Talks Myanmar Junta for Rare Earths — SkimNews
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- Trump administration is holding direct talks with Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing, marking a sharp break from prior U.S. policy that demanded democracy and sanctioned the junta after the 2021 coup.
- Michael Vance, Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research, met Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw in mid-September 2026, the highest-level U.S. contact since the coup, signaling a major shift in diplomatic posture.
- U.S. Treasury removed several of Min Aung Hlaing’s associates from sanctions lists in August 2025, following a tariff letter Trump sent to the general in July, granting implicit recognition.
- Myanmar’s military regime controls only about 21% of the country’s territory, while rare earth deposits—Washington’s key interest—are held by ethnic armed groups like the Kachin Independence Army and United Wa State Army.
- National Unity Government (NUG) and ethnic leaders warn that U.S. engagement legitimizes the junta without securing tangible gains, as the regime cannot end border scams or deliver access to rare earths.
- USAID dismantling in 2025 severely reduced humanitarian aid to resistance-held areas, worsening medical shortages and undermining U.S.-aligned groups amid a Russian- and Chinese-backed military counteroffensive.
Why it matters: The U.S. risks alienating democratic allies and empowering a criminalized regime that lacks control over the very resources it seeks, while resistance groups lose leverage and civilians face intensified violence—3.7 million displaced and over 100,000 conflict deaths since 2021.
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