Trump admin signals possible shift as Myanmar election takes place

By Tom Joyce
The Center Square

Myanmar started a multi-phase national election late last month as the Trump administration showed openness to renewed engagement with the Southeast Asian country.

The first phase of voting began on Dec. 28. Additional rounds will take place on Jan. 11 and Jan. 25. Election officials said 52% of eligible voters participated in the first phase.

A total of 139 international observers monitored the first round of voting.

Yich Samethy, a member of Cambodia’s election commission, said polling stations were orderly.

“I observed that the preparation and conduct of the polling stations were extremely well organized, complete, and peaceful,” he wrote, as reported by the Global New Light of Myanmar. “Voters were able to participate in the election in an orderly manner, exercising their democratic rights without any external interference, obstruction, sabotage, or intimidation.”

Myanmar’s military government hopes the election will restore stability after years of civil conflict.

The Trump administration has avoided the public condemnations of Myanmar used by previous administrations.

Last November, the Department of Homeland Security ended Temporary Protected Status for Burmese nationals living in the United States, citing progress toward “free and fair elections.”

Earlier in 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio instructed U.S. officials to “avoid opining on the fairness or integrity of an electoral process, its legitimacy, or the democratic values of the country in question.”

During the election period, Myanmar granted release to over more than 6,100 prisoners and cut the sentences of others to mark the country’s 78th anniversary of independence from the United Kingdom.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., criticized the Burmese election.

“These ‘elections’ are a sham,” McConnell wrote. “We should stand WITH the people of Burma and AGAINST a PRC-backed junta.”

The Trump administration has taken actions expressing confidence in the country.

In July 2025, President Donald Trump exchanged letters with Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing after implementing new tariffs. The Treasury Department later removed four Burmese individuals and their companies from the Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions list.

American officials also refrained from publicly criticizing Myanmar’s leadership at the October 2025 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit.

Violence continues in parts of Myanmar as anti-government groups try to disrupt the vote. However, regional officials have expressed cautious optimism.

Notably, Thailand’s Naresuan Force said Myanmar’s election “could be positive for border stability” over the long term, ar reported by NationThailand.com.

The election comes as the Trump administration prioritizes access to natural resources, including energy and minerals. Myanmar holds significant amounts of oil, natural gas, and rare earth minerals. China operates a major oil and gas pipeline linking Myanmar’s coast to the Yunnan province.

Most U.S. companies left Myanmar after sanctions were imposed in 2021 under President Joe Biden’s Executive Order 14014. The order will expire in February 2026, unless renewed.

Analysts say easing sanctions would be a major step toward restoring American business activity and curbing China’s influence in the country.