The U.S. is establishing a $20 billion currency swap line to prop up the Argentine peso — and that assistance is to help a “good financial philosophy,” Trump says.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that Argentina was “foremost” among Latin American countries that have “aligned with the United States on issue after issue.”
Trump, seeming to refer to Argentina’s crucial midterm elections later this month that will be a referendum on Argentinian President Javier Milei’s policies, said that “If he loses, we are not going to be generous with Argentina.”
It’s not the first time this year Trump has sought to insert himself in the domestic affairs of another country to protect a leader seen as an ally. The comments came a day after Trump, while speaking at the Knessett, called for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be pardoned in the corruption trial he faces. Trump branded the trial a “witch hunt,” a term he used for his own court cases while he was running for president last year.
The president also called the prosecution against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, for attempting to overturn his 2022 election, a “witch hunt.” Trump then imposed 50% tariffs on the Latin American country and sanctioned its main justice in retaliation.