Governments often highlight well-intentioned and excellent results. Traditional relationship-building and lobbying with big media outlets has changed. Leaders and the public now communicate practically directly thanks to the Internet and smartphones.
President Javier Milei’s regular use of social media, notably X (previously Twitter), gives outsiders a unique look into his thinking, self-perception, and worldview. According to a dashboard by data specialist ‘@estoesnulo’ on social network X, “anarcho-capitalist” libertarians spent over two hours a day on the platform last month, with some spending over four hours.
President Milei is on his 10th US visit since taking office. The New York Times’ South America bureau chief Jack Nicas noted the Argentine leader’s modest impact on economic and geopolitical issues but his importance in cultural disputes in a recent article.
At least eight times that day, Milei tweeted the essay to deflect criticism and claim that he had deliberately positioned the country positively in negotiations with president Donald Trump. This includes “reciprocal” tariffs and Argentina’s IMF talks.
Nicas’s claim that his “adoration” for Trump is flattery did not seem to bother Milei and his fans. Argentina’s president wants to be Trump’s “favourite president” and adopt Trump’s foreign policy. Milei likes this approach.
Milei’s strategic move suggests that Argentina benefits from his personal friendship with Trump. Mileismo proponent Agustín Romo criticized the Republican leader’s “reciprocal” tariffs, claiming Argentina had the “lowest level” of tariffs globally. Elon Musk’s Milei-supporting X fact-checking group found Romo’s claim false. This shows that Argentina has been handled similarly to 12 other Latin American nations, including those run by ideologically opposed to Trump leaders like Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Gustavo Petro.
Milei’s digital troll army, led by controversial political strategist Santiago Caputo, who uses anonymity on social media, agrees that Trump’s global “reciprocal tariffs” are not protectionism. Instead, they call his activities “geopolitical” and pro-free market. Romo compared Argentina’s special treatment to a US free-trade pact. Some say that negative publicity doesn’t exist.
Milei enjoys his time abroad like his forefathers. Each time they boarded a trip to escape Argentina’s daily hardships and their posts’ constant scrutiny, former presidents Alberto Fernández and Mauricio Macri were praised.
Milei differs from his predecessors, who made state visits for international diplomacy. He has yet to receive a White House invitation. Instead, he has attended conservative Republican Party and Trump supporter events at Mar-a-Lago. Traveling to the US and other countries to accept awards and give speeches has helped him become a global “new right” leader. Natasha Niebieskikwiat of Clarín believes the American Patriots Gala on Thursday has a particular economic approach, with tickets starting at US$750. Donations ranged from $5 to $5,000, and a candlelight supper with the President cost $1 million to $5 million.
The political environment is shifting to accommodate Donald Trump’s controversial conflicts of interest, blurring the line between his personal and commercial life and his presidency. After the ‘$LIBRA’ cryptocurrency incident, Milei may be trying this contentious strategy.
A global trade war frames the trip and previous “culture war” controversies like Milei’s Malvinas mistake, where he reportedly entertained the Kelpers’ claim of “self-determination.” Global markets have been volatile since Trump’s inauguration.
Trump claims that the world has exploited the US by taking its wealth and manufacturing jobs. He wants to revive American manufacturing and embrace ‘Make America Great Again’ with tariffs.
Tariffs’ influence on reshoring manufacturing to the US while maintaining global trade balance is unknown. Contrary to popular opinion, most economists disagree. Former World Bank chief economist Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg suggested in a Project Syndicate column that tariffs may be fiscally motivated, generating revenue to let foreign nations subsidize US tax cuts. Retaliatory tariffs may undercut the measure, she said. She adds optimism that this crisis could lead to new multilateral trade laws.
Here, Argentina’s economy is governed by the ‘cepo.’ These measures have helped the government overcome economic issues, but they have forced the Central Bank to spend billions to maintain a steady peso-dollar exchange rate, lowering output. Economy Minister Luis ‘Toto’ Caputo has joined the Milei siblings in the US to seek a new IMF loan of US$20 billion. Caputo is actively seeking new funds to boost the Central Bank’s failing reserves, which would give him the leverage to support the peso until the election. Although this technique may generate imbalances in the medium to long term, the passthrough effect reduces one of the main causes of inflation.
Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein met with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. According to journalist Paula Lugones, Trump’s Latin America special envoy Mauricio Claver-Carone warned that Argentina’s IMF help could depend on China’s shrinkage. Lobbying is accelerating.
Milei faces rising domestic tensions as Trump stirs global dynamics. The La Libertad Avanza coalition’s first major electoral challenge since assuming office is this year’s midterm elections. Buenos Aires City and Province elections, which could have major consequences, seem to have divided the opposition. Mauricio Macri and Jorge Macri, PRO leaders in the capital, are navigating an internal insurrection and libertarian voter base problems.
In the province, a crucial battleground for the nation, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and her old protégé Axel Kicillof, the governor, are fighting for pan-Peronist control. The current political split, which has helped Milei and the libertarians rise, is likely to lead to more competitive contests and greater uncertainty before this year’s elections. This should increase market instability.
As Toto Caputo works to finalize the deal amid a contentious opposition vote battle, Javier Milei uses his high-profile connections to mingle with Trump and Musk, positioning himself in the far-right elite. The “culture wars” suit him.