Rubio Called Milei. America Should Back Argentina's Reformers With Trade — Not Lectures
On Oct. 16, Secretary Rubio and President Milei reaffirmed the U.S.-Argentina partnership and talked trade, transparent investment and hemisphere security. In our view, free-market allies in our backyard deserve customers and capital, not another round of Washington scolding.
By Clara Hughes
ALTAS WORLD NEWS OPINION | By Clara Hughes, Chief Opinion Editor | October 18, 2026 | 7-min read Allies who fight for freedom in our own hemisphere should not have to wait in line behind every Eurasian crisis. On Oct. 16, Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Argentine President Javier Milei. The State Department said the two leaders reaffirmed the U.S.-Argentina partnership and discussed deepening bilateral trade, expanding transparent investment, and advancing shared prosperity and security across the hemisphere [1]. Argentina's presidential office issued a matching readout the same day [2]. In our view, that call is a signal worth amplifying: Washington intends to treat Buenos Aires as a partner, not a project. Key Takeaways Secretary Rubio and President Milei spoke Oct. 16 about trade, transparent investment, and hemisphere prosperity and security [1]. Both sides said they would keep working for concrete results that benefit Americans and Argentines [1]. Argentina's Oficina del Presidente Comunicado Oficial No. 169 confirmed the call and the focus on deepening the strategic alliance and expanding commerce and investment [2]. The call follows Rubio's broader pattern