Argentina would achieve duty-free access for between 70% and 80% of its exports to the United States
After that conversation, negotiations between both countries intensified, and at Casa Rosada there is now an expectation that the U.S. administration will set the date to officially announce an agreement that is already outlined in its main aspects.
Argentina would have agreed on a list of 100 products that would enter the U.S. market with zero tariffs, in contrast to the 10% duty that Trump established as a general rule from the White House.
U.S. President Donald Trump supports a special trade agreement with Argentina, framed within his global strategy to counter the advance of the Chinese dictatorship worldwide.
The Republican leader considers the Chinese communist regime his main adversary of the 21st century, and the tariff offensive he launched at the beginning of May is part of a global-scale trade war that directly pits Washington against Beijing.
In this scenario, the ideological and personal alignment between President Javier Milei and Donald Trump, along with the firm stance of the Argentine leader against Xi Jinping's authoritarianism and the productive potential of the South American country, were decisive factors in advancing a differentiated trade understanding with the Republican administration.
Trump seeks for Argentina to eliminate all tariff and non-tariff barriers that hinder the entry of U.S. products. However, his interest goes further: he needs strategic allies who can sustain U.S. supply chains and cushion a potential internal economic impact that could result if the dispute with China escalates to extreme levels.
In this context, Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein held a key meeting with Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, where the strategic vision driving Trump in his relationship with Argentina became clear.
During the meeting held in Washington, Lutnick conveyed to the Argentine foreign minister the need for the United States to have reliable supply chains, and explained that the reciprocal tariffs promoted by Trump are precisely in line with that global strategic logic.
If implemented, and excluding steel and aluminum from the negotiation, Argentina would achieve tariff-free access for between 70% and 80% of its exports to the United States.
In a context of growing trade tension, where Washington has put its ties with historic partners such as the European Union, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and South Korea under review, Argentina emerges as a privileged partner thanks to the strategic alignment between Javier Milei and Donald Trump.
For now, Trump has set August 1 as the date from which the new tariff agreements will take effect. This means that the United States will decide when to officially communicate the understanding reached with Argentina.
The political decision has already been made at the White House, but Trump is managing the timing of the announcement with a strategic approach: he seeks to present his alliance with Milei as an exemplary model in the Latin American region.
