- Trump approved a $20 billion currency-swap lifeline to Argentina, sparking MAGA outrage amid a U.S. government shutdown and furloughed workers.
- Administration defends move as strategic to curb China and stabilize Argentina, but critics call it favoritism toward Milei and bad timing.
- Decision deepens Republican rifts, fuels protests and bipartisan criticism, and could influence midterm politics weeks away.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is weathering a storm of backlash from his own MAGA base after greenlighting a $20 billion financial lifeline to Argentina, a move announced just as the U.S. government shutdown enters its 14th day on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
The bailout, framed as a currency swap to stabilize Argentina’s economy under libertarian leader Javier Milei, has sparked outrage among Trump’s core supporters, who see it as a betrayal while federal workers face furloughs and soybean farmers lose ground to South American competitors.
As protests brew and the administration doubles down, the controversy threatens to widen rifts within the Republican Party ahead of the midterms.
The FrankNez Media Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.
The deal, detailed by The Daily Beast on October 14, 2025, involves a $20 billion currency swap with Argentina’s central bank, spearheaded by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and confirmed on social media Thursday.
Trump is set to meet Milei at the White House today, a bilateral summit likely to spotlight the bailout and proposed tariffs.
The administration argues it’s a strategic move to curb Argentina’s potential pivot to China and stabilize a key South American economy, with Bessent insisting on Fox News it’s “not a bailout” but a preventive measure.
Yet the timing—amid a shutdown furloughing over 800,000 federal workers and triggering layoff notices for 4,000 more—has ignited a firestorm.
MAGA loyalists are livid. Illinois soybean farmer John Bartam told The Daily Beast, “MAGA now means Make Argentina Great Again,” after China shifted 7 million tonnes of soybean purchases to Argentina following the deal’s tax cut incentives.
The lifeline, offered as Americans grapple with shutdown costs, has united some MAGA conservatives with Democrats in criticism.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) tweeted on October 13, “While our workers suffer, we’re funding foreign bailouts? This isn’t America First,” racking up 3,500 likes.
Protests outside the Treasury Department on Monday drew 150 demonstrators, chanting “America over Argentina.”
Economic and Political Fallout
The bailout’s economic rationale hinges on global stability. CNN Business explained that the U.S. has historically aided allies like Mexico to protect creditors, but this move—timed awkwardly with a domestic crisis—raises eyebrows.
Critics, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), called it a “political favor” to Milei, a Trump ally, in a Senate floor speech Monday.
The Congressional Budget Office warned on October 12 that the shutdown could cut 0.5% from GDP, exacerbating pressure on farmers like Bartam, who lost $1.2 million in exports this month alone.
The White House defends the decision. A statement from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on October 13, reported by Reuters, claimed, “This strengthens our hemisphere against Chinese influence,” citing Argentina’s $44 billion IMF debt.
But the optics are grim: TSA lines at LAX stretched three hours Monday, per NBC News, while Argentina’s peso stabilized post-swap.
The Guardian noted Trump’s meeting with Milei will likely address tariffs, a nod to MAGA trade hawks, but the disconnect with furloughed workers—unpaid since October 1—fuels discontent.
MAGA infighting is heating up. Trump allies like Steve Bannon questioning the bailout’s “America First” credentials, while Fox News host Laura Ingraham urged viewers to “hold Trump accountable.”
Meanwhile, Democrats have seized the moment. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told AP News, “This is Trump prioritizing cronies over constituents,” amplifying calls for a shutdown resolution.
Historical Context and Public Reaction
This isn’t Trump’s first foreign aid controversy. The White House’s March 14, 2025, order to pause non-aligned foreign assistance aimed to realign aid with U.S. interests—a policy now seemingly reversed for Argentina.
The 2019 shutdown, lasting 35 days, saw similar aid debates, but today’s MAGA base—more vocal post-January 6—demands purity.
Public sentiment is also sour. A Gallup poll on October 4, 2025, pegged congressional approval at 18%, with Pew Research on October 5 showing 62% blaming GOP dysfunction.
X posts reflect the rage: @MAGAfarmer tweeted Monday, “$20B for Argentina while my farm’s bleeding? Disgraceful.”
Protests outside Trump Tower in New York on October 13, covered by The Washington Post, drew 200 people, with signs reading “No Foreign Bailouts.”
Looking Ahead
Trump’s meeting with Milei today could either quell or escalate the uproar.
The administration hints at a press conference to outline reconstruction plans, but with the shutdown unresolved—House Republicans rejected a stopgap on October 12 per Politico—pressure mounts.
For now, the bailout pits Trump’s global ambitions against his base’s nationalism.
As one furloughed CDC worker told Reuters, “We’re out of work while Argentina gets a handout—where’s the logic?” The answer may lie in today’s talks, but the MAGA backlash could linger, shaping the midterms just seven weeks away.
Will the Trump Administration take notice of the bipartisan efforts in our country? It looks like we might not be so divided as we are painted to be.
Also Read: Republicans Face Growing Backlash as Voters Blame Them for Govt. Shutdown
Follow us on X: @NezMediaCompany
