The White House announced on Thursday a framework for a reciprocal trade and investment agreement between the United States and Argentina, aimed at reducing tariffs and eliminating non-tariff barriers. The deal seeks to strengthen bilateral economic ties and promote investments in key sectors like critical minerals and agriculture. President Javier Milei hailed the understanding as a commitment to making Argentina great again.
The announcement, made on November 13, 2025, reaffirms the strategic alliance between Presidents Donald Trump and Javier Milei, based on shared democratic values and open markets. According to the White House statement, Argentina will grant preferential access to U.S. products such as medicines, chemicals, machinery, information technology, medical devices, vehicles, and agricultural goods. In return, the United States will eliminate reciprocal tariffs on certain natural resources not available in its territory and non-patented articles for pharmaceutical use.
Both countries commit to improving bilateral access to beef markets, with Argentina facilitating imports of live U.S. cattle and poultry within one year. Processes for registering meats will be simplified, and no facility registration will be required for U.S. dairy imports. The agreement also promotes investments in critical minerals, building on the August 2024 Memorandum of Understanding, and cooperation to stabilize the global soybean market.
The Argentine government has eliminated non-tariff barriers, such as import licenses and consular formalities, and will gradually phase out the statistical tax on U.S. products. Environmental standards will be respected in wood production, mining, and fishing, and imports of goods produced with forced labor will be prohibited. In digital trade, Argentina will recognize the United States as an adequate jurisdiction for data transfers.
Milei, at the Regional Economics Congress in Corrientes, emphasized: 'We are strongly committed to making Argentina great again.' Economists like Federico Bernini from IIEP-UBA see benefits in beef exports, estimating a quota increase to 80,000 tons worth $500 million. However, sectors like steel and aluminum expressed disappointment over the lack of clarity on tariff reductions under Section 232.
The pact represents the broadest commercial advance in decades and formalizes Washington's support for Milei's reforms, with teams working to finalize the text and its signing.