Myanmar military rulers hire Roger Stone to lobby Washington
Myanmar's military rulers have hired veteran American political operative Roger Stone to help rebuild relations with Washington, according to filings under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act.
The Ministry of Information in Naypyidaw is said to have brought in Stone through the Washington-based lobbying firm DCI Group.
The filings say Stone is being paid US$50,000 a month, while DCI Group signed a US$3 million contract with Myanmar in July last year.
The stated aim of the arrangement is to normalise ties with Washington after the junta's 2021 coup against Myanmar's elected government.
It also seeks to influence US policy on Myanmar's economy, natural resources and humanitarian relief.
The move matters because it shows the military rulers are continuing efforts to improve their standing in the US despite remaining isolated internationally.
Stone's long relationship with Donald Trump gives the deal added political significance in Washington.
Stone has been a Republican operative for four decades and has served as an adviser, confidant and strategist to Trump throughout his career.
The contract places him inside a broader lobbying effort by Myanmar's authorities to shape how the US responds to the country.
