The day after President Trump antagonized the world leaders around the world with his brightest series of tariffs so far, he should have fly in Florida and potentially see one leader he called His “favorite president”.

That leader, President Javier Milei of ArgentinaHe flew overnight to receive a prize on the right-wing gala in Mar-a-lag on Thursday. Mr. Trump was supposed to be there late on Thursday – Mr. Milei said that Mr. Trump would receive a prize – and Mr. Milei said he hoped to meet the two of them.

It was the tenth trip of Mr. Milei to the United States in 15 months as president, and almost every time he met Mr. Trump or Elon Musk.

Mr. Trump claimed to strictly change US foreign policy around what is good for the United States.

So, what can be confusing about his elevation of Argentina to the first row of American allies – Mr. Milei and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy were the only world leaders on stage on Mr. Trump’s inauguration – It is that a chronically upset nation from South America is not particularly important as an economic or geopolitical partner.

Instead, through Mr. Milei, Argentina offered Mr. Trump something else that she seemed to crave: worship.

“I love him because he loves Trump,” Mr. Trump said Mr. Milei in speech last year. “Everyone who loves me, I like it.”

Mr. Milei repeatedly praised Mr. Trump. He published a doctoral picture of their acceptance. He has Gifted Mr. Musk custom chain saw. And when Mr. Milei became the world’s first leader to visit Mr. Trump after the US election, he danced around MAR-a-status and told the crowd: “Today the world is a much better place.”

Carlos Kikuchi, a conservative radio manager of a conversation in Argentina who helped to lead a campaign by Mr. Milei, said, that, Argentine’s leader, “having such a smooth relationship with Trump and male like touching heaven.”

Mr. Milei translated his commitment to politics. Weeks after Mr. Trump said he would draw the United States from the World Health Organization, Mr. Milei Is it the same with Argentina.

After Mr. Trump came out of the Paris Climate Agreement, Mr. Milei’s Government said that he was looking and. Mr. Milei fired his first foreign minister because she voted in the United Nations – as she always had Argentina – against the American embargo in Cuba.

And after Mr Trump started criticizing Ukraine – a nation that Mr. Milei persistently supported for years – Argentina refrained from the Votes of the UN to condemn Russia for his invasion.

Mr. Milei also became one of the loudest votes in cultural wars, moving on a global speech tour to attack leftists, feminists and transgender people, and Mr. Trump praises as a champion who, in Milei, will tell, Save the west from “wake up ideology.”

“Every time we meet with President Trump, he always says,” I like this guy, “Gerardo Werthein, New Foreign Minister Argentina, said this week. “He always says,” He’s Maga like me: Argentina is great again. “

Mr. Trump praised Mr. Milei’s work in stabilizing the Argentine economy. Indeed, Mr. Milei managed to lower inflationIncreasing the growth and balance of the budget.

However, for the United States of Argentina, it remains uncomfortable as a strategic partner. The nation of 46 million is geographically separated from most of the world and has been stuck in the cycles of the economic crisis for decades.

Two countries also sell many the same things: corn, wheat, soybean, meat, oil. The store between them fell by 8.6 percent to $ 16.3 billion last year. Argentina is in 36th place at the global level of shopping of American exports, according to the observatory of economic complexity, research groups.

On Wednesday, Argentina is still hit by a 10 -half minimal charge applied to almost every country.

But Mr. Milei, who describes himself as a radical libertarian, found a bright side. “Friends will be friends,” Wrote on social networksConnecting to the Queen’s song, then sharing the posts, claiming that Argentina gained the advantage over the countries affected with higher tariffs.

Probably the biggest potential prize for the United States is a large stock of strategic minerals of Argentina, including a lithium, a necessary component of renewable batteries. US and Chinese companies are the main players in Argentina spreading to Liti’s mines and Tesla – managed by Mr. Musk – It buys the Argentine lithium for their electric cars.

US diplomats invited Mile’s management to move away from China, including limiting Chinese approach to Litia and Elements of a rare countryAccording to the former high -grade administration official and a high US diplomat who spoke anonymously to talk about private conversations.

Yet Argentina China’s shop has increased Under Mr. Milei, and China remains a larger trade partner than the United States, buying soy, silver and beef.

So far, it may be Mr. Milei, who has gained the most from a new friendship.

Argentina is looking for a $ 20 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund and, such as the largest fund shareholder, Washington has a key vote. Argentine officials said they were expecting the support of Mr. Trump.

Lucía Cholakian Herrera contribute to reporting.