WEST PALM BEACH – Donald Trump met with the Argentine president at his Mar-a-Lago club on Thursday Javier Mileythe first foreign leader to meet the president-elect since his election victory last week.

The meeting was confirmed by a person who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an event that had not yet been publicly announced. The person said the meeting went well and said Milei also met with investors.

A short time later, Milei, a self-described “anarcho-capitalist” and frequent recipient of Trump’s praise, addressed the America First Policy Institute gala at Mar-a-Lago. He spoke briefly in English, then gave a longer speech in Spanish, pausing to allow an interpreter to translate, in which he criticized left-wing ideologies and hailed Elon Musk, the owner of X, saying the site his social media helps to “save”. humanity.”

Milei criticized a political ruling class that he said was responsible for a system that used unfair tax systems to force “wealth redistribution at gunpoint”.

Argentina’s president also congratulated Trump on his “resounding victory” in the electionssaying, “Today the winds of freedom are blowing much stronger” and calling the victory “proof positive that the forces of heaven are on our side.”

Trump also spoke to the gala crowd, congratulating Milei “for the work you’ve done for Argentina” and saying it was an “honor” to have Argentina’s president at his club.

“The job you have done is incredible. Make Argentina great again, you know, MAGA. He is a MAGA person,” Trump said to applause. “And you know, he does.”

Shortly after Milea’s election in November 2023, Trump posted on social media: “You will turn your country around and truly make Argentina great again!”

Milei first met Trump in February at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, in the Washington area. He openly declared his admiration for Trump, and when he saw him, rushed at him shouting “president!” and hugged him tightly before posing for pictures.

The Argentine president is known for his eccentric personality and first made a name for himself by ranting against Argentina’s “political caste” on television. The right-wing populist campaigned with a chainsaw as a prop to symbolize his plans to cut public spending and scrap government ministries.

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Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.