Milei Pitches Free Trade to CPAC, Meets Trump Amid Crypto Scandal

Argentine President Javier Milei wasted no time in his pursuit of a free trade agreement with the United States, taking his case directly to a conservative audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) just outside Washington. Milei's speech was met with enthusiasm from the crowd as he referenced former President Donald Trump's stance on reciprocal tariffs.

Milei expressed his desire for Argentina to be the first country to join a reciprocal trade accord proposed by the Trump administration. However, Argentina's membership in Mercosur, the South American trade bloc, is currently hindering his ambitions. Milei, 54, has publicly expressed his admiration for Trump, 78, and during his speech, he emphasized his commitment to slashing government bureaucracy, a stance shared by both Trump and Elon Musk.

Trump, in turn, acknowledged Milei's efforts in his own speech later that day, and the two leaders held a private meeting. Milei's visit to Washington came amidst domestic challenges, including a controversy surrounding his endorsement of the meme coin Libra. Federal prosecutor Eduardo Taiano is reportedly investigating Milei's social media promotion of the coin, which subsequently lost 90% of its value. Similarly, Trump's own meme coin, Official Trump (TRUMP), has seen a significant decline in value.

Despite the crypto-related scandal, Milei managed to squeeze in meetings with Elon Musk and International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva during his trip. With Georgieva, the focus was on Argentina's ongoing IMF debt deal, a crucial aspect of Milei's economic strategy. Whether Milei's efforts will result in a U.S.-Argentina trade pact remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: he is actively positioning himself in the global spotlight, both on stage and across the negotiating table.