US Support for Argentina: An ‘America First’ Imperative

As America navigates a world of rising threats and strained resources, the Trump administration’s decision to extend financial support to Argentina under President Javier Milei has sparked heated debate. Some critics spread groundless suspicions, casting this strong policy move as another reckless foreign giveaway.

But let’s be clear: This helping hand is not mere charity, nor is it meddling in far-off conflicts.

Instead, this sensible guarantee represents a strategic, “America first” move—bolstering an ally in our own hemisphere, aligning with shared values, and securing economic wins with minimal risk. Having advised President Donald Trump for years, I have seen the folly of global overreach. In each of Trump’s terms, he has inherited serious policy hangovers from the reckless interventionism of both former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, all over the world.

Supporting Argentina isn’t Afghanistan or Ukraine—it’s about defending our backyard and betting on good neighbors. That neighborhood—meaning the Americas—unfortunately deals with the rise of leftist leaders who hate America, from Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil to Gustavo Petro in Colombia. But now, we can support a reliable friend and all. Given this backdrop, this bet makes sense.

We have self-interest here, as well. What happens south of our border—economic convulsions, migration surges, or foreign influence—hits home directly. Argentina under Milei is a rising star in a region scarred by socialist failures. Milei’s agenda—slashing bureaucracy, deregulating markets, and championing free enterprise—mirrors the MAGA ethos of Main Street prosperity.

Trump himself has called Milei a “great leader” who’s “making Argentina great again.” As such, this smart allocation of liquidity isn’t heavy-handed interventionism, but rather a smart temporary lift to a regional partner who shares our values. Backing order in our backyard is a wise deployment of American capital and prestige.

Unlike Afghanistan’s endless nation-building or Ukraine’s open-ended cash drain, supporting Argentina serves U.S. interests directly. A stable, pro-American Argentina counters China’s predatory investments and meddling in Latin America. If Argentina falters, we risk more failed states, more caravans at our border, and more fentanyl flooding our streets.

By contrast, a thriving Argentina stabilizes reciprocal trade and reduces migration pressures. Moreover, we are not imposing our will here. Rather, we’re amplifying a partner whose interests and values coalesce with our own.

Now, to the money. Critics hyperventilate over “giving” Argentina $20 billion—or even $40 billion—as if we’re tossing cash into a void. This notion is nonsense. The U.S., under Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, has arranged a $20 billion currency swap line, with an additional $20 billion private-sector credit facility in the works.

This structure isn’t a bailout; it’s a credit facility to stabilize Argentina’s peso. If Milei’s reforms succeed—and falling inflation plus surging investor confidence suggest they will—this move costs American taxpayers little to nothing. The Treasury even bought pesos to signal faith in the plan. This strategy represents a calculated investment, not a handout.

And who’s orchestrating this investment? Bessent, one of history’s most successful traders. The founder of Key Square Group, Bessent’s legendary moves in global capital markets turned him into a self-made mogul, a titan of the money management world. He’s betting now on Argentina because the fundamentals—reform, resources, and resolve—are there.

In addition, this facility draws private capital, including U.S. firms eyeing Argentina’s energy, mining, and tech sectors. So, why doubt a trader with his track record? Betting on Bessent is betting on success—success that benefits American workers and businesses. If Argentina prospers, U.S. companies gain markets, and we secure a partner to counter China’s Belt and Road schemes. Even more importantly, we lift up a template for the rest of the Americas to follow. “Be like Milei, not like [Nicolas] Maduro in Venezuela.”

Skeptics like Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., mutter about Argentina’s past defaults, but those belong to the Peronist era, not Milei’s. Trump has tied this support to Milei’s leadership—no blank checks for failures. That’s accountability, absent in past foreign aid debacles.

In short, backing Argentina is America First at its core: riding alongside a like-minded ally in our hemisphere and making a low-risk bet on mutual prosperity. It’s not about wars or waste; it’s about shared values and strategic wins.

With Bessent’s vision and Milei’s reforms, we’re betting on the good in our own backyard—and that’s a bet America can’t afford to pass up.

Let’s make the AMERICAS great again.

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