ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump endorsed Argentine President Javier Milei on Tuesday in that country’s October elections.

"I'm doing something I don't often do ... I'm giving my full endorsement to him," Trump said during their meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

"The people of Argentina, we're backing him 100%."

Trump praised Milei's economic reforms. "He, like us, inherited a mess and what he's done to fix it is good,” he said. “We need to make Argentina Great Again, so it's an honor for me to endorse."

Milei thanked Trump for the endorsement.  

Economic support offered

Asked about potential financial assistance, Trump said: "We're gonna help them but I don't think they need a bailout."

The endorsement comes as Milei faces challenging legislative elections scheduled for Oct. 26, where half the Chamber of Deputies and one-third of Senate seats are contested.

Milei's La Libertad Avanza party recently suffered a significant defeat in Buenos Aires provincial elections, securing only 33.8% compared to the Peronist opposition's 47%.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday his agency "stands ready" to support Argentina, calling it "a systemically important US ally in Latin America" with "all options for stabilization on the table."