Milei Backs Trump Ahead of US Midterms in Washington Visit
Argentine President Javier Milei urged U.S. President Donald Trump to emerge stronger from the November U.S. midterm elections, describing the vote as important for the West as a whole.
He made the appeal on October 14, 2026, at a Hispanic Heritage gala in Washington, where a Hispanic association presented him with an award, Al Jazeera reported. Milei said conservatives "cannot give an inch in our reconquest of the hemisphere," according to AFP.
Milei flew to Washington on October 14 for investor meetings and the gala. He was due to address the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on October 15. The Buenos Aires Times reported the speech was scheduled for 11:20am, and described the trip as his fifth visit to the United States in 2026. Spanish newspaper El País reported he was scheduled to remain in Washington, D.C. until Friday.
The visit underlined close ties between the two leaders. Trump has called Milei his "favorite president." U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a $20 billion currency swap with Argentina's central bank in which the United States exchanged dollars for pesos.
Trump conditioned continued U.S. support on a Milei election victory, stating "If he wins, we’re staying with him. And if he doesn’t win, we’re gone." After Trump warned that the U.S. would not be "generous" if Milei lost, Argentina's main stock index fell about 2 percent, as reported by AP.
Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. accused Trump of prioritizing a foreign bailout for Argentina while the U.S. government was shut down.
Argentina's own midterm vote had been viewed as a referendum on Milei's deep austerity policies. Milei won a decisive victory in that congressional vote, which enabled him to continue his economic overhaul.
