Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Bessent Text Leak: Message Suggests Argentina Bailout Is Backfiring
Forbes ^ | September 29, 2025 | Antonio Pequeño IV,

Posted on 09/30/2025 8:48:09 AM PDT by Miami Rebel

The photo of Bessent’s phone taken by the Associated Press during a United Nations session last week appears to show texts from Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who said, “We bailed out Argentina yesterday (Bessent) and in return, the Argentine's removed their export tariffs on grains, reducing their price, and sold a bunch of soybeans to China, at a time when we would normally be selling to China.”

The messages referenced the $20 billion aid package by the Trump administration designed to help Argentina and its president, Javier Milei, a Trump ally.

After the announcement of the aid, Argentina turned around and sold soybeans to China — while American farmers who have traditionally relied on Beijing to buy soybeans have been frozen out of their largest export market since Trump enacted higher tariffs on China, which launched its own retaliatory tariffs impacting soybean trade with the U.S.

The texts continued, saying, “This gives China more leverage on us” and sending a link to the X account of Ben Scholl, a specialty grain trader who chimed in on China’s purchase of Argentinian soybeans after the latter country removed grain export taxes.

Scholl said in a tweet last week “China and Argentina work together for soybeans as Bessent offers to subsidize the Argentine economy. They think you are stupid.”

Forbes has reached out to Bessent and Rollins’ offices for comment.

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: argentina; bessent
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-37 last
To: Miami Rebel

The timing was beautiful though, wasn’t it?

First take the hand-out, and then in the blink of an eye give a big f-you to Uncle Sugar.


The world is a complicated place, with a lot going on all of the time.

I doubt if Milei even considered the timing as signalling anything. His reduction in tarrifs and trade barriers has been ongoing since at least December, 2023.

https://www.aerodoc.com/why-argentina-become-attractive-market-tariff-changes/

Someone who wants to find evidence of a “conspiracy” can almost always find evidence, if they ignore everything else which is happening.


21 posted on 09/30/2025 10:31:33 AM PDT by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Consider:

1. We have to save Milei’s ass.

2. Considering how the powers in control of Britain are embracing the Muslims, transfer of Falklands to the Argentina might be best. At least it’s understandable; they should preempt even the slightest possibility of an Islamist salient developing so close to its shore.
Islam is like rabies: the odds of infection might be slim, but the outcome is certain.


22 posted on 09/30/2025 10:33:14 AM PDT by tsomer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Miami Rebel

“”The messages referenced the $20 billion aid package by the Trump administration designed to help Argentina and its president, Javier Milei, a Trump ally.””

Um... $20 BILLION????? What the hell? Why the hell?

Only to have them stab us in the front. Who is the compromised idiot that is “advising” Trump this time?


23 posted on 09/30/2025 11:20:00 AM PDT by Danie_2023
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Miami Rebel

“”As a side matter, be aware that Bessent has friends in the hedge fund community, including his former colleague, Rob Citrone of Discovery Capital Management, who were underwater in their Argentina bond investments. The $20 billion backstop came at just the right time to save their asses.””

This may not be relevant... and may seem like I’m a conspiracy theory fan, but....

isn’t Argentina the country where most of the Nazis fled to after WWII? I’m sure it’s merely (another) coinkydence. Nothing to see here. Move along and feel free to ignore the correlation.


24 posted on 09/30/2025 11:23:27 AM PDT by Danie_2023
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Political Junkie Too

Lend-Lease was a creative way of assisting allies fighting for their lives.

Argentina is not under attack nor is it a strategic ally. And I think cutting a deal with the Chinese after accepting our largesse is the height of ingratitude.


25 posted on 09/30/2025 11:49:40 AM PDT by Miami Rebel (Yep. I'd rather trThaust That's a differnet Smithfiekd and their Chinese overlords.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: tsomer

1. No, we don’t.

2. The Falklands (a/k/a, the Maldives) are an immaterial distraction. Argentina stands as great a chance of seizing Greenland as it does the Falklands.


26 posted on 09/30/2025 11:52:07 AM PDT by Miami Rebel (Yep. I'd rather trThaust That's a differnet Smithfiekd and their Chinese overlords.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

Accepting what you say at face value, even if Milei had been planning to alter his tariff structure, he chose the spectacularly wrong time to do it.


27 posted on 09/30/2025 11:53:45 AM PDT by Miami Rebel (Yep. I'd rather trThaust That's a differnet Smithfiekd and their Chinese overlords.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Miami Rebel
I think cutting a deal with the Chinese after accepting our largesse is the height of ingratitude.

I agree with that.

-PJ

28 posted on 09/30/2025 11:58:34 AM PDT by Political Junkie Too ( * LAAP = Left-wing Activist Agitprop Press (formerly known as the MSM))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Miami Rebel

Argentina could do it easily now.
The threat from the Royal Navy is nil. Would the US care?


29 posted on 09/30/2025 11:58:59 AM PDT by Reily
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Miami Rebel

Accepting what you say at face value, even if Milei had been planning to alter his tariff structure, he chose the spectacularly wrong time to do it.


We don’t know when he scheduled it.

We only have this article makeing what is probably an inappropriate correlation/causation argument. See post 20 by FreeReign.


30 posted on 09/30/2025 12:05:20 PM PDT by marktwain
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Reily

You cannot be serious.

The Argentine Navy’s capital ships, i.e., the most powerful in their fleet, are three destroyers. In addition, they have just six subs, five corvettes, seven patrol boats, and two fast attack craft.

On top of which, Argentina is close to broke. Invasions, even piddling ones like storming the Falklands, cost LOTS of money, money Milei doesn’t have.

The 1982 Falkland War was launched by an Argentine military junta which thought that a cheap victory would restore its popular standing. I guarantee that Argentines have strong memories and would see through its government trying that stunt again.


31 posted on 09/30/2025 12:28:22 PM PDT by Miami Rebel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Reily

You cannot be serious.

The Argentine Navy’s capital ships, i.e., the most powerful in their fleet, are three destroyers. In addition, they have just six subs, five corvettes, seven patrol boats, and two fast attack craft.

On top of which, Argentina is close to broke. Invasions, even piddling ones like storming the Falklands, cost LOTS of money, money Milei doesn’t have.

The 1982 Falkland War was launched by an Argentine military junta which thought that a cheap victory would restore its popular standing. I guarantee that Argentines have strong memories and would see through its government trying that stunt again.


32 posted on 09/30/2025 12:28:27 PM PDT by Miami Rebel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Miami Rebel

1500 UK military personnel on the Falklands

It would a battle of the bankrupts. Who has the most chutzpa wins and that’s not Two-Tier Keir!


33 posted on 09/30/2025 12:33:11 PM PDT by Reily
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: Miami Rebel

1500 UK military personnel on the Falklands

It would a battle of the bankrupts. Who has the most chutzpa wins and that’s not Two-Tier Keir!


34 posted on 09/30/2025 12:33:18 PM PDT by Reily
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: marktwain

Do you honestly think that the tariff policy change was set on an immutable timetable?

Even if...and that’s a big “if”...Milei had planned for it to go into effect on a certain date, it would have been the better part of discretion for him to have delayed it for a decent interval once he got word of Bessent’s windfall.


35 posted on 09/30/2025 12:33:28 PM PDT by Miami Rebel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Reily

I know that this is just for giggles, but to pursue this further, do you think that Britain would wait for the weeks it would take Argentina to assemble its armada before reinforcing that pimple of an island?


36 posted on 09/30/2025 12:50:06 PM PDT by Miami Rebel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Reily

Oh, I forgot to mention: for all the UK’s problems, they’re not a basket case like Argentina.

Even with our intervention, the peso is down 15% against the dollar year-to-date, while the pound is up 10%.


37 posted on 09/30/2025 12:54:36 PM PDT by Miami Rebel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-37 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson