Foreign Pool Report #1 - Argentine President's visit
- From
- Eduard Ribas I Admetlla
- Sent
- Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 10:08 AM
Good morning, I am your foreign pooler for the visit of the President of Argentina Javier Milei to the White House. Please feel free to reach out with any questions.
This is his first meeting with President Trump at the White House, although they have met on at least three previous occasions.
President Milei arrived in Washington on Monday night and is staying at Blair House. He is scheduled to arrive at the White House at 1 p.m. for a bilateral lunch in the Cabinet Room.
He is also expected to attend the Medal of Freedom Ceremony for Charlie Kirk at 4 pm before returning to Buenos Aires later tonight.
According to Argentina’s Presidency, this meeting marks “a new stage in strengthening the strategic alliance between both nations, built upon shared values and a common commitment to life, liberty, and private property”.
Since taking office in December 2023, Milei has traveled to the United States 13 times for meetings with government officials, international organizations, and business leaders.
Milei is the second Latin American leader to be received by Trump at the White House, following Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who visited Washington in April.
Milei and Trump
Javier Milei is an outspoken admirer of Donald Trump, whom he has met on several occasions.
Their most recent meeting took place on September 23 during the UN General Assembly in New York, where Trump announced his endorsement of Milei’s reelection campaign for Argentina’s 2027 presidential elections.
“Argentina: Javier Milei is a very good friend, fighter, and WINNER, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election as President — He will never let you down!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The two also met during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington in February 2025. They also met at a gala in Mar-a-Lago in November 2024, just days after Trump’s electoral victory.
US support for Argentina's economy
The Trump administration has firmly supported Milei's economic reform agenda and spending cuts, following decades of severe economic challenges in Argentina.
This meeting comes shortly after Trump ordered financial assistance for Argentina amid turbulence caused by the dollar’s exchange rate and upcoming debt maturities.
Last week, the U.S. government agreed to a $20 billion currency swap mechanism with Argentina and purchased Argentine pesos on the open market. Treasury Secretary Bessent clarified that this does not constitute a bailout, as there have been no direct money transfers to Argentina.
"There will be an avalanche of dollars. We’ll have dollars coming out of our ears", Milei said in an interview with El Observador radio before his trip.
This strong show of U.S. support has been interpreted as an effort to bolster Milei’s government ahead of Argentina’s midterm legislative elections on Sunday, October 26.
Milei suffered an electoral defeat in last September’s legislative elections in Buenos Aires Province, the country’s capital district, where his party, La Libertad Avanza, finished in second place.
Milei's political career
Javier Milei, 54, is an economist who describes himself as a libertarian.
He had a meteoric political career, rising quickly from a TV commentator known for his eccentric style to President of Argentina in just a few years. His message represented a sharp break from Kirchnerism — the progressive political movement that has dominated much of Argentine politics over the past two decades.
Milei entered Congress in 2021 with his party La Libertad Avanza, which at the time held only two seats. In 2023, he became the most-voted candidate in Argentina’s presidential primaries (PASO), securing around 30% of the vote. He won the presidency in 2023 in a runoff election, defeating Economy Minister Sergio Massa with 55.7% of the vote.
Milei campaigned on promises to fix Argentina’s struggling economy and fight inflation, famously wielding a chainsaw as a symbol of his intention to cut public spending. He even gifted a chainsaw to Elon Musk during CPAC.
Milei opposes socialism and state intervention. He advocates for the privatization of healthcare and education, supports the right to bear arms, and opposes abortion.
In terms of foreign policy, Milei has pursued a strong alignment with the United States and Israel. Before traveling to Washington, Argentina’s Presidency praised in an official statement President Trump’s “leadership” in achieving peace in Gaza and securing the release of hostages.
Milei himself
Milei is single, and his closest confidant is his sister, Karina Milei, who serves as Secretary General of the Presidency.
He owns five dogs (English Mastiffs) cloned from his dog Conan, who died in 2017.
A passionate rock music enthusiast, Milei was a member of a band in his youth performing covers of The Rolling Stones. On October 6, he turned the presentation of his latest book at a Buenos Aires stadium into a rock concert, performing several songs while wearing a leather jacket.
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Eduard Ribas Admetlla
White House Correspondent
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