Argentina’s new president, Javier Milei, was one of the notable international guest speakers at the Conservative Political Action Conference held in Maryland over the weekend.
Milei met former President Donald Trump while backstage at CPAC on Saturday, and the friendly and unscripted moment between them went viral.
Upon seeing Trump, he exclaimed, “President!”
The two men shook hands briefly before Milei gave the Republican presidential candidate a big hug, smiling as he expressed his excitement.
“I’m very happy. You are very generous to me. Thank you very much, it’s a very big pleasure [to meet you],” Milei said.
“You are doing a great job. I’m very proud of you,” Trump said.
The former president then altered his famous “Make America Great Again” slogan, saying, “MAGA! Make Argentina Great Again!”
Before the two men parted, Milei said he anticipated Trump to be the new president upon their next meeting. The GOP front-runner in this fall’s election responded by saying, “I hope so, too.”
The moment was shared on the X social media platform Saturday by Dan Scavino Jr., senior adviser to the Trump campaign.
HAPPENING NOW!🇺🇸🇦🇷 @realDonaldTrump @JMilei pic.twitter.com/Aye7Rd1yH8
— Dan Scavino Jr.🇺🇸🦅 (@DanScavino) February 24, 2024
It had received more than 41,000 “likes” and been reposted 13,000 times as of Monday afternoon.
In November, Trump celebrated Milei’s upset victory in Argentina’s presidential election.
“Congratulations to Javier Milei on a great race for President of Argentina,” he said in a post on Truth Social. “The whole world was watching! I am very proud of you. You will turn your Country around and truly Make Argentina Great Again!”
After meeting Milei on Saturday, the former president delivered the CPAC keynote address.
Trump addressed the Argentine president from the podium, telling the crowd, “He’s a great gentleman. You know he’s MAGA. He’s MAGA. ‘Make Argentina Great Again.’ It’s true. And he said, ‘I am MAGA,’ and then I realized he’s one of the few who can really do it well. ‘Make Argentina Great Again.’
“Javier Milei — thank you very much, Javier.”
The focus of the former president’s address was the direction of the nation and the unfolding domestic and international crises under President Joe Biden.
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“For hard-working Americans, Nov. 5 will be our new liberation day,” Trump said, referring to Election Day. “But for the liars and cheaters and fraudsters and censors and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be their judgment day.”
“When we win, the curtain closes on their corrupt reign and the sun rises on a bright new future for America. … I believe it’s our last chance,” he said.
“I stand before you today not only as your past and hopefully future president, but as a proud political dissident. I am a dissident,” Trump said.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: “I stand before you today not only as your past, and hopefully future, President but as a proud political dissident”
WATCH as President Trump describes the persecution by Biden’s “gang of thugs” ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/C1qLhVdpyr
— CPAC (@CPAC) February 24, 2024
Following Trump’s speech was Milei, who took to the stage to eviscerate the doctrine of socialism. He is well-equipped to discuss the topic, possessing educational and professional expertise in economics.
“None of the varieties of socialism [can] work. In the most extreme cases, because there’s no private property, you can’t engage in the exchanges of the market required,” the Argentine president said, according to The Daily Caller. “Marxism defeated on the economic front [transfers] its class struggle to other aspects of life.”
He also decried the leftist social justice movement and the abortion agenda, which he called “murderous.”
Argentina’s President @JMilei: “We will not surrender until we Make Argentina Great Again!” pic.twitter.com/MnjaLEpJVP
— CPAC (@CPAC) February 24, 2024
“I come from a country that bought all of those stupid ideas that went from being one of the most affluent countries in the world to one to one of the [poorest],” Milei said.
“If you don’t fight for your freedom, they will drag you into misery. … Don’t surrender,” he warned.
