Argentina’s President Javier Milei has backed Donald Trump ahead of the US midterm elections, urging the American president to emerge from November’s vote in a stronger position and describing it as important for the West.
Milei made the appeal at a Hispanic Heritage gala in Washington on Wednesday, where a Hispanic association presented him with an award. He had travelled to the US capital for meetings with investors and is due to address the US Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Milei said conservatives “cannot give an inch in our reconquest of the hemisphere”.
Trump’s support for Milei
The Argentine leader’s intervention comes a year after Trump strongly backed him during a crucial legislative election in Argentina. Trump has described Milei as his “favorite president”.
That support, alongside a currency swap agreement with the US Treasury, was credited by analysts with helping Milei prevail in those elections.
The package included a $20 billion swap with Argentina’s central bank, announced by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, under which the United States exchanged dollars for pesos. It was agreed shortly after Milei’s party lost a key provincial election.
Trump made clear at the time that the assistance depended on Milei winning. “I’m with this man because his philosophy is correct,” he said before a White House lunch with the Argentine president. “If he wins, we’re staying with him. And if he doesn’t win, we’re gone.”
He also said the United States would not be “generous” if Milei suffered defeat. The remarks unsettled Argentine markets, with the main stock index surrendering earlier gains and falling by about 2 per cent.
The agreement was criticised in the United States, where Democratic lawmakers accused Trump of giving priority to a foreign bailout while the US government was shut down.
