US removes Myanmar junta cronies from blacklist after Trump appeal

The United States has lifted sanctions on several allies of Myanmar’s military leadership.

It happened in just two weeks after junta chief Min Aung Hlaing praised President Donald Trump and appealed for a rollback of punitive measures in a letter linked to an impending tariff hike, as per Reuters.

A notice from the US Treasury Department on July 24 announced the removal of four companies and individuals from the sanctions list: KT Services & Logistics and its founder Jonathan Myo Kyaw Thaung; MCM Group and its owner Aung Hlaing Oo; Suntac Technologies and its owner Sit Taing Aung; and Tin Latt Min, a known associate of the military regime.

Human Rights Watch called the move “extremely worrying,” warning it signals a possible shift in US policy toward Myanmar’s junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup and has since been accused of crimes against humanity and genocide.

“The decision will cause deep concern among victims of the Myanmar military,” said HRW’s Asia director John Sifton.

Most of those removed from the sanctions list had been targeted in 2022 for their roles in Myanmar’s defence sector. Tin Latt Min was added in 2024 to mark the third anniversary of the military coup.

On July 11, Min Aung Hlaing sent a letter to Trump requesting a reduction of a 40% US tariff set to take effect August 1. He proposed a lower rate of 10–20% and pledged to reduce Myanmar’s tariffs on US imports to between 0–10%. He also urged Trump to ease economic sanctions, saying they obstruct mutual prosperity. State media emphasised his admiration for Trump’s “patriotic leadership.”

The move comes amid heightened US interest in securing rare earth minerals, a strategic resource Myanmar possesses and which is central to competition with China. While most of Myanmar’s mines are in rebel-held areas and processed in China, Washington has expressed interest in diversifying sources.

By Tamilla Hasanova