No, Trump Didn’t Bail Out Argentina — He Backed American Farmers

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   Sharlee01posted 2 months ago

   I keep seeing claims online that President Trump “bailed out Argentina” with U.S. tariff money, and I feel compelled to set the record straight. The reality is far different from what critics are suggesting. Tariffs are not a “tax grab” used to hand money to foreign countries. The money collected from tariffs goes directly into the U.S. Treasury, and the Trump administration used it to support American farmers, not Argentina. Programs like the USDA’s Market Facilitation Program delivered billions of dollars directly to U.S. producers who were hurt by China’s retaliatory tariffs, keeping them afloat during a difficult period of global trade uncertainty.
   
   It’s also simply false to say the U.S. government handed money to Buenos Aires. Argentina’s agricultural exports and trade policies are their own responsibility, and while China did shift some soy purchases to Argentina, that’s a market response, not a U.S. “bailout.” In fact, the Trump administration anticipated these disruptions and acted decisively to protect American producers, ensuring they could compete on a global stage.
   
   I also want to address the idea that tariffs were purely harmful to American consumers. Yes, some estimates suggest households faced higher prices, but these figures assume that foreign exporters passed all costs directly onto U.S. buyers. In reality, foreign suppliers absorbed a portion of these costs, and many U.S. businesses adapted their sourcing to offset the impact. More importantly, tariffs gave the U.S. leverage in trade negotiations, which had been absent for decades. Without this strategy, China and other foreign competitors would have continued to flood our markets with subsidized goods, undermining American industries and jobs.
   
   Some people call this a “Reverse Robin Hood,” claiming that we are taking from American households to prop up foreign markets. I strongly disagree. The real imbalance has been decades of foreign countries, especially China, manipulating global trade to their advantage while American workers and farmers bore the costs. Trump’s tariffs, paired with targeted support for U.S. producers, were about restoring fairness and protecting our economy,  not handing money to other countries.
   
   At the end of the day, “America First” isn’t a catchy slogan,  it’s a strategy to protect our workers, safeguard our farmers, and ensure that our country isn’t left vulnerable in a global marketplace that often plays by unfair rules. The alternative would have been continuing to allow foreign markets to dictate the success of American agriculture and industry, leaving our citizens and families at a permanent disadvantage.

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   Sharlee01posted 2 months ago

   I really appreciate that the Trump administration recognized the impact of global trade on American farmers and took concrete steps to protect them. By using tariffs strategically and pairing them with targeted support programs, they helped U.S. producers stay competitive during a period when foreign markets and trade disruptions were threatening livelihoods. It shows a focus on putting American workers and families first in economic policy.

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   Willowarborposted 2 months ago

   The American people aren't as stupid as this Administration seems to think..
   
   Trump's ridiculous tariffs are why the farmers lost the soybean contracts. Now...taxpayers money is going to be used to bail out them and also $20 billion to Argentina.   He's the problem. End of story...

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   Willowarborposted 2 months ago

   Why the hell is my money going to bail out people who voted for Trump, who hurt them financially?
   
   Meanwhile he's taking healthcare away from people who need it....
   
   Americans aren't that stupid.  The word on the street?
   
   FARMERS PICK YOURSELVES UP BY YOUR  BOOTSTRAPS LIKE THE REST OF US... YOU GOT WHAT YOU VOTED FOR

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   Willowarborposted 2 months ago

   "Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent earlier this week pledged a major economic rescue package for Argentina. Bessent, who has been touting the plans on social media and TV appearances in recent days, says the deal is needed to stabilize the nation’s financial turmoil ahead of October midterm elections that are critical to Milei retaining power and continuing reforms that supporters say will turn around the country’s floundering economy."'
   
   So is their  pledge just bullshit?
   
   These fools in Argentina are selling soybeans to china.... The American people aren't stupid enough to want to bail out their government.... AND OUR FREAKING FARMERS
   
   Trump-pledged support for Argentina stirs anger among Republicans - POLITICO https://share.google/Fnlq7QslPPmhwsKww

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   Sharlee01posted 2 months ago

   Fact thus far... https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/ … hatgpt.com
   
   The fact is, no deal has yet been done between the U.S. and Argentina. What we have right now are proposals being discussed by the Treasury Department, including the possibility of a $20 billion swap line, bond purchases, or standby credit to stabilize Argentina’s economy. President Trump has even said publicly that he doesn’t think a bailout is necessary, though he’s open to helping Argentina if it’s in America’s interest. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also made it clear that the U.S. is not “putting money into Argentina,” but rather considering a swap line — which is essentially a financial backstop and not a direct cash handout.
   
   As of today, no funds have been transferred, no contracts finalized, and nothing confirmed as spent. Critics, especially U.S. soybean farmers, are understandably worried because Argentina has suspended some of its export taxes on soybeans, which could make them more competitive against American farmers. That fear is real, but the actual scale of harm to U.S. agriculture hasn’t been proven yet.
   
   What frustrates me is how left-leaning media outlets are presenting this story. Many are framing it as if Trump has already “bailed out Argentina with U.S. tariff money.” That’s simply not factual. There’s no evidence tariff revenues are being funneled into this, and calling it a “bailout” right now is misleading, since the deal hasn’t even happened. At best, it’s still under negotiation.
   
   And if the deal does go through, it’s not accurate to say it will “hurt U.S. farmers.” Farmers’ main challenge would come from Argentina’s export policies, not from the U.S. providing financial backstops. The groups most directly affected would be international bondholders and financial markets, since the purpose of a swap line is to stabilize Argentina’s currency and debt. For the U.S., the exposure would be financial risk if Argentina failed to repay, not a direct transfer of taxpayer money. That’s a far cry from the narrative being pushed, and it’s important to keep those facts in perspective.
   
   Farmers have concerned because Argentina has suspended export taxes on soybeans, making their product cheaper on the global market, but that risk comes from Argentina’s internal policies, not from this proposed U.S. support. If the deal does go through, it’s important to understand that it will not directly hurt U.S. farmers. The real effect would be on Argentina’s financial stability and on global bond markets.
   
   What this deal actually does is keep Argentina from relying further on China as its lender of last resort. In other words, this is as much about cutting China out of South America’s financial influence as it is about Argentina’s economy. That’s a far cry from the “tariff-funded bailout” narrative being pushed.

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