Trump Is Inching Toward a Major Strategic Blunder in Myanmar

Washington appears poised to reach out to the military junta as part of its obsession with critical minerals.

Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing arrives to deliver a speech in Naypyidaw, Myanmar, on March 27, 2024. August 21, 2025, 12:21 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

Trump’s Second Term

Ongoing reports and analysis

U.S. President Donald Trump’s fixation with securing access to rare earth minerals is creating the conditions for a poor strategic decision in Myanmar. According to a recent report, the Trump administration is considering a range of options to access rare earths in Myanmar—the world’s third-largest producer of such—despite the ongoing civil war, including supporting the rebel Kachin Independence

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