The official statement that it is a coup, which the government has not yet done in any of their statements on the matter, would legally bind the US to stop foreign aid to the country. The legal department of the State Department is studying this provision and is likely to take the lead on this, officials said.
There is no legal requirement for the US to formally declare a military takeover a coup, but the government will determine if they see it in the US national security interest to do so.
President Joe Biden said in a statement on Monday that the army taking over power and detaining Aung San Suu Kyi over the weekend was a “direct attack on the country’s transition to democracy and the rule of law” and that it was a immediate review of sanctions laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action. “
A meeting of the National Security Council of the National Security Council will be held in Myanmar on Monday afternoon and officials are expected to discuss sanctions they could use to respond to the military takeover, two Foreign Ministry officials said.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNN.
Biden’s government could impose sanctions as early as this week, but their decision to pull the trigger is likely to be influenced by the desire to move with allies. They are working to get an idea of how quickly other countries want to move with them, officials said.
This story is breaking and will be updated.