"Myanmar junta hires Trump-aligned lobbying firm in bid to rebuild US ties", 7 August 2025

Myanmar’s military regime has signed a US$3 million contract with a Washington-based lobbying firm aligned with the Republican Party, marking its most direct attempt yet to re-engage with the United States following years of sanctions and diplomatic isolation.

The deal, between the junta’s Ministry of Information and DCI Group AZ, LLC—a public affairs firm with close ties to the Trump administration—aims to reshape US perceptions of the regime and potentially unlock financial assistance and investment in Myanmar…

It is the largest lobbying agreement the junta has undertaken since seizing power in a coup four and a half years ago…

The firm now returns to represent a regime widely condemned for human rights abuses, economic collapse, and an ongoing civil war…

The agreement includes compliance clauses requiring both parties to certify that no sanctioned individuals or entities will benefit from the deal. It also contains indemnity provisions shielding DCI from legal liability for violations committed by the junta or its affiliates…

The news has sparked swift condemnation from Myanmar human rights activists, who accuse the junta of using stolen public funds to whitewash its crimes and gain international legitimacy ahead of an election process widely dismissed as a sham.

“Governments must reject this cynical charade and urgently ensure that sanctions apply to the so-called ‘State Security and Peace Commission,’ a body created to orchestrate a sham election that may circumvent sanctions on the State Administration Council,” said Yadanar Maung, spokesperson for the activist group Justice For Myanmar…

“No amount of spin by D.C. lobbyists can wash the blood off the military’s hands. We condemn DCI Group’s decision to serve as an enabler for a junta that is committing crimes with total impunity.”