Trump official insists funding Argentina is ‘America First’ - apparently

Back in 2017, when US president Donald Trump was inaugurated for the first time, the Republican said “from this moment on”, he would be taking the position of “America First” – meaning “every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families”.

Fast forward to his second term in office, and the decision by his administration to hand over $20 billion to Argentina – run by Trump ally President Javier Milei - as it experiences an economic crisis has called that policy position into question.

In a surprising move earlier this month, Georgia representative Marjorie Taylor Greene took aim at the funding of Argentina by the Trump administration, writing on Twitter/X: “Americans are getting decimated with high cost of living and skyrocketing insurance costs. Many of them have zero savings and some are maxing out credit cards to survive.

“Tell me how it’s America First to bailout a foreign country with $20 or even $40 BILLION taxpayer dollars.”

Greene’s tweet was read out on Sunday’s edition of NBC News’ Meet the Press, with Treasury secretary Scott Bessent asked for his response.

The secretary told presenter Kristen Welker: “It is America First because we are supporting a US ally. There will be no taxpayer losses. This is a swap line, this is not a bailout, and it is from the Exchange Stabilization Fund which I control at the Treasury.

“It has never registered a loss; it is not going to register a loss this time. We are supporting a US ally in Latin America and we want to set the tone in Latin America.

“We think it is much better to use American economic power up front and lead the way because we’ve got many other governments in Latin America … who all want to follow, so I would rather extend a swap line than be shooting at the boats carrying drugs like we’re having to coming out of Venezuela.”

Bessent’s justification for the funding has since been criticised online, with progressive political commentator writing on Twitter/X that “you can’t make this up”:

Some mentioned other US allies lacking American support, such as Canada:

And Ukraine:

While Democrat Ron Smith, who has more than 48,000 followers on X, tweeted: “Wtf? These people think the American people are stupid, right?”

Greene is yet to comment publicly on Bessent’s remarks.

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