STORY: President Donald Trump warned Tuesday (October 14) that the United States would not be "generous" with Argentina if President Javier Milei loses re-election.

Trump also criticized Milei's opponent as part of the "far left" movement he blames for the country's economic crisis.

"We're not going to waste our time" if Milei's party doesn't win Trump told reporters.

Trump's remarks came as he and Milei met at the White House just days after the U.S. agreed to provide a major financial lifeline to the South American nation.

"I'm with this man because his philosophy is correct, and he may win it," Trump said ahead of a White House lunch with Milei and members of Trump's cabinet. "He may not win, but I think he's going to win. And if he wins, we're staying with him. And if he doesn't win, we're gone."

Trump's remark rattled Argentine markets that had been buoyed by the support package recently announced by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the centerpiece of which is a $20 billion currency swap with Argentina's central bank, exchanging stable U.S. dollars for volatile pesos. Argentina's main stock market reversed earlier gains and was down about 2% following Trump's comments.

Bessent, at Tuesday's meeting, said the package - full details of which have not been announced - is predicated on the continuance of economic policies favored by the Trump administration. "Going back to Peronist policies would cause a rethink," Bessent said.

Bessent said, however, that the aid package was not dependent on Argentina ending a separate swap line arrangement with China. "American assistance to Argentina is not predicated on ending the swap with China," Bessent said.

The economic lifeline for Argentina marks an unusual move for the U.S., particularly under an administration that has largely eschewed major foreign interventions.

The White House has framed the deal as a strategic effort to stabilize a key regional ally. But it has drawn criticism at home.

Many Democratic lawmakers have accused Trump of prioritizing foreign bailouts and investor protections while the U.S. government remains shut down. American farmers have also voiced frustration, noting that China has shifted soybean purchases from U.S. producers to Argentine growers this year.

While details of the agreement remain unclear, the bailout could offer Milei a much-needed political boost as he works to stave off a deepening economic crisis and shore up his party's support.

He suffered a major setback last month when his party lost a key provincial election and now faces a critical midterm vote later this month.

The assistance also underscores the extent to which the Trump administration is willing to support a political ally who has cultivated strong ties with the president and American conservatives in recent years.

Trump has described Milei as his "favorite president," and the Argentine president was one of two world leaders onstage during Trump's inauguration.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: SOUNDBITES FROM U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP/ FROM U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY, SCOTT BESSENT AND FROM ARGENTINA'S PRESIDENT, JAVIER MILEI DURING, WHITE HOUSE MEETING WITH ARGENTINE OFFICIALS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (OCTOBER 14, 2025) (UNRESTRICTED POOL – Access all)

1. U.S. OFFICIALS AND ARGENTINE OFFICIALS SITTING AHEAD OF MEETING BETWEEN U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, AND ARGENTINA'S PRESIDENT, JAVIER MILEI

2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“We're very much with the president (Javier Milei). We think he's going to win. He should win. And if he does win, we're going to be very helpful. And if he doesn't win, we're not going to waste our time because you have somebody whose philosophy has no chance of making Argentina great again.”

3. WHITE FLASH

4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“I'm with this man because his philosophy is correct. And he may win. He may not win, but I think he's going to win. And if he wins, we're staying with him. And if he doesn't win, we're gone.”

5. WHITE FLASH

6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“He's become very popular and is on the verge of a breakthrough, I think. I think he's really on the verge of tremendous economic success. And I know that Scott Bessent is helping. And our great Scott is doing a job and he feels very strongly about it.”

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY, SCOTT BESSENT, SAYING:

“There's a midterm election coming up. We think he's going to do quite well and then continue his reform agenda.”

8. WHITE FLASH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY, SCOTT BESSENT, SAYING:

“We are not going to ignore our allies. It is economic strength. We're using our economic strength to create peace. Just like you've done all over the world and it is much better to form an economic bridge with our allies, people who want to do the right thing, than have to have shoot at narco gunboats. So we think that this is an opportunity for the Argentinian people and that President Milei is the one to do it.”

10. MEETING IN PROGRESS

11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“Your poll numbers, I hear, are pretty good, but I think they'll be better after this. And, you know, our approvals are somewhat subject to who wins the election because if a socialist or in the case of New York City, a communist wins, you feel a lot differently about making and investment. I think, Scott, you'd feel that if somebody that had no chance in other words, if somebody wins and has no chance of ever having a great economy because of that philosophy, you would put a halt to what we're doing.”

12. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY, SCOTT BESSENT, SAYING:

“We stand with the president and what he stands for in the hope for the Argentinian people. And President Trump, just like you, he carries the young people. So it's hope for the future. The Argentines have made the decision to shake off 100 years of bad policy. They went from one of the richest countries in the world to a ton of debt. And I think that with the bridge the U.S. is giving them and the strong policies that Argentina can be great again.”

13. WHITE FLASH

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“It's an honor to have you here. And I just want to tell you that your career has been an amazing one and it's going to continue with the election. You're going to win the election. We're going to endorse you, I’m going to endorse you today, fully endorse you. And, you know, people in Argentina like me, a lot of people like me.”

15. WHITE FLASH

16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY, SCOTT BESSENT, SAYING: (SOUNDBITE STARTS OVER PAN FROM TRUMP TO BESSENT AND ENDS OVER SHOT OF BESSENT SPEAKING)

“We’re confident that the president's party and the coalition will do well in the election. And this aid is predicated on robust policies. And going back to the failed Peronist policies would cause a U.S. rethink.”

17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“If the president doesn't win. I know the person that he'd be running against, I believe, probably, we probably have the person. A person who is extremely far left and a philosophy that got Argentina into this problem in the first place. So we would not be generous with Argentina if that happened. If he loses, we are not going to be generous with Argentina.”

18. WHITE FLASH

19. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“We want to help Argentina and we want to always help ourselves, but we want to help Argentina. And one of the ways we can do they have great products. And we used to do a lot of trade and then if you look at what the Democrats well, they didn't know, they didn't know. Honestly, they didn't know what they were doing. But a lot of that trade disappeared and they have great products. So we will be trading with Argentina and that will be helpful to them and so it's good for us also.”

20. WHITE FLASH

21. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

JOURNALIST OFF CAMERA ASKING: "Should Argentina end the China swap and close the (research) space base in Neuquen?

TRUMP: “I don't think you should be doing business much you can do some trade, but you certainly shouldn't be doing beyond that, certainly shouldn't be doing anything having to do with the military with China. And if that's what's happening, I'd be very upset about that. Yeah.”

22. WHITE FLASH

23. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY, SCOTT BESSENT, SAYING: (SOUNDBITE STARTS OVER SHOT OF TRUMP LISTENING TO BESSENT AND ENDS OVER SHOT OF BESSENT SPEAKING)

“The the American assistance is not predicated on this swap with China being closed. Any reporting to that effect is incorrect.”

24. WHITE FLASH

25. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, SAYING:

“I would say that I'll leave that up to my my economic people. But I like the dollar. I'm very strong on the dollar. And anybody who wants to deal in dollars, they have an advantage over people that aren't.”

26. WHITE FLASH

27. (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. TREASURY SECRETARY, SCOTT BESSENT, SAYING:

“We're very happy with the current currency arrangement.”

28. MEETING IN PROGRESS

29. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINA PRESIDENT, JAVIER MILEI, SAYING:

“I also want to congratulate you for that work and for understanding the threat that 21st‑century socialism represents around the world, and especially in Latin America. The work of Marco Rubio. And I also want to deeply thank Secretary Bessent for the enormous effort he has made to help overcome the liquidity problem Argentina faced as a consequence of the political attacks we have suffered from our opponents.”

30. WHITE FLASH

31. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINA PRESIDENT, JAVIER MILEI, SAYING:

“Thank you very much for receiving me. Thank you very much for what you are doing for the free world, and many thanks to Secretary Bessent for the enormous task he has carried out, which allows us to have a path to move forward calmly and do what upstanding Argentines need and which I believe will be a good case to show the world that the ideas of liberty work and generate prosperity.”

32. VARIOUS OF TRUMP RECEIVING GIFT LETTER FROM MILEI