Argentinian President Javier Milei, a staunch supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, is expected to attend Trump’s inauguration next month, marking a historic first for a foreign leader. According to reports from Argentina’s La Nación and Semafor, Milei’s office confirmed his trip to Washington, D.C., for the January 20 ceremony.
Milei, who was the first foreign leader to meet with Trump after his election victory, reportedly accepted the invitation following a personal call from Trump. The Argentinian leader attended Trump’s victory party at Mar-a-Lago in November and has publicly aligned himself with Trump’s platform. On Monday, Milei posted a link to the Semafor article on X, featuring a photo of him shaking hands with Trump and the caption, “Make Argentina Great Again, Make America Great Again,” along with “MAGA” and flag emojis of both nations.
Trump has extended invitations to several other world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. These invitations underscore Trump’s approach of fostering dialogue not only with allies but also with adversaries and competitors.
Historically, foreign leaders have not attended U.S. presidential inaugurations in person. According to State Department records dating back to 1874, nations typically send ambassadors and their spouses to represent them at the ceremonies. If Milei attends, his presence would set a new precedent for international participation.
Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt described the invitations as “an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just allies but our adversaries and our competitors, too,” according to the Washington Examiner.
Trump hinted at these plans after ringing the bell to open the New York Stock Exchange, telling reporters he was “thinking about inviting certain people to the inauguration.” When asked about potential security concerns, he acknowledged the risks but said, “Maybe it is. We’ll see what happens, but we like to take little chances.”
Milei’s attendance highlights a broader realignment of international relationships and reflects Trump’s willingness to break with traditional norms to pursue his “America First” agenda.
