Argentinian President Javier Milei’s party scored a decisive win in Sunday’s legislative elections, sparking celebrations from U.S. President Donald Trump.
With more than 99 percent of the ballots counted, according to local media, Milei’s austerity-pushing Freedom Advances party pulled in almost 41 percent of the vote, leaving leftist rivals trailing and giving the maverick president more sway in Argentina’s Congress.
The vote was closely watched in Washington, where the White House has moved in recent weeks to prop up the Argentinian economy, which has been roiled by market uncertainty over Milei’s radical policies slashing government spending.
“Congratulations to President Javier Milei on his Landslide Victory in Argentina. He is doing a wonderful job! Our confidence in him was justified by the People of Argentina,” Trump said on Truth Social in praise of the libertarian leader.
In early October, Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the U.S. support — in the form of a $20 billion currency swap and a program to purchase Argentinian pesos, leading some to describe it as a bailout — was delivered because “Argentina’s reform agenda is of systemic importance, and a strong, stable Argentina which helps anchor a prosperous Western Hemisphere is in the strategic interest of the United States. Their success should be a bipartisan priority.”
The mega-billions gamble, which Bessent argued over domestic objections was in line with Trump’s America First agenda, paid off Sunday.
Trump followed up on his initial congratulations by reposting a message on Truth Social that indicated Milei’s success was, in part, due to his close relationship with the U.S. president.
He then added: “BIG WIN in Argentina for Javier Milei, a wonderful Trump Endorsed Candidate! He’s making us all look good. Congratulations Javier!”
“Argentines showed that they don’t want to return to the model of failure,” Milei told a crowd of supporters in Buenos Aires after his clear victory.
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