“A mere mention of his name will elicit a . . . crimson jet of betel spit.”

The Office of the President of Myanmar was blindsided by TIME’s profile on Min Aung Hlaing. The newly elected leader granted the news magazine an exclusive interview, his first with a Western media outlet since the February 2021 coup.

TIME ran the story under the headline “Myanmar’s Dictator Wants to Rebuild Ties with the West.” Min Aung Hlaing was described as a “generalissimo” turned politician presiding over an economy weakened by sanctions, and dependent on narcotics and online banking scams to stay afloat.

The government’s Information Team denounced the article as contrary to “media ethics,” arguing that the essay format ran counter to “the initial agreement” on a Q&A-style piece with the working title, “The Future of Myanmar.” TIME rejected an official request to remove the article from its website, and Myanmar subsequently banned the publication.

TIME approached Myanmar’s embassy in Singapore in April. In a letter addressed to the chargé d’affaires, the editor at large wrote that “the moment is perfect to publish an exclusive interview to our millions of readers” following Min Aung Hlaing’s “decisive election victory.” He noted that the magazine “is the favorite publication of President Donald Trump” and the interview would give the president the opportunity to explain “why U.S. sanctions on Myanmar should be rescinded.”

The Global New Light of Myanmar, a state-run news outlet, published a full transcript of the interview to offset the potential “negative impacts” of the TIME story.  Social media accounts linked to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shared video footage of the conversation, including a quote from Min Aung Hlaing saying, “to my knowledge, ‘Time Magazine’ is a very famous and straightforward media.”

In the interview, Min Aung Hlaing made a case for lifting international sanctions that have crippled the country’s banking system and foreign exchange flows. TIME reported that foreign direct investment was down 90 percent since 2021. “There’s just no vision for the economy except as a vehicle for control,” commented Sean Turnell, a former economic policy adviser to the pre-coup National League for Democracy government.

According to TIME, “Min Aung Hlaing’s approach is pitching sanctions relief as a win-win, dangling carrots to coax the international community back to the table.” One potential concession, the article pointed out, was an amnesty for former State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, who was moved from prison to house arrest in April and was granted a 15-year reduction on her 33-year sentence. “I have been extremely lenient toward her,” the former army chief claimed.

The U.S. has sanctioned more than 100 individuals in Myanmar, including the president and his adult offspring with business ties to the government. In 2024, the International Criminal Court sought a warrant for the general’s arrest for crimes against humanity in Rakhine State. In the interview, Min Aung Hlaing argues that sanctions related to violence against the Rohingya community should be evaluated in the context of “realities on the ground.”

“My father was an artist,” the general told TIME, talking about his early years. “I have always been fond of reading . . .  and my parents also encouraged me to visit the library.”  He was raised in a traditional Buddhist household where respect for elders and “compassion” towards children were emphasized.

Min Aung Hlaing’s transition from senior general and chief of the armed forces to President has received tacit support in the region.  He was given red-carpet welcomes in Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, and Delhi after the election. Japan lobbied the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to remove Myanmar from the international organization’s blacklist. Last week, the Paris-based entity announced that Myanmar’s status remained unchanged due to ongoing “fraud and cyber scam threats.”

The Trump Administration reportedly held secret talks with Myanmar officials in Tokyo, and rare earth extraction likely featured in the discussions. In October, the U.S. lifted sanctions on the daughter of a Yangon entrepreneur active in the petroleum and timber industries. Despite some White House-supported moves easing restrictions, both political parties in the U.S. Congress broadly support sanctions against Myanmar.