US Sen. Bernie Sanders on Sunday condemned President Donald Trump for pursuing a $40 billion bailout of Argentina while unlawfully declining to use contingency reserves to pay out federal food aid to Americans during the ongoing government shutdown.
"During the shutdown, Trump could find $40 billion to bail out Argentina and $300 million for a ballroom to host dinner parties with billionaires, but he won't tap emergency funds to prevent millions of American kids from going hungry?" Sanders (I-Vt.) wrote on social media. "How cruel is that?"
Sanders' message came as Argentine voters headed to the polls in national midterm elections that delivered a major victory to far-right President Javier Milei, whose party won roughly 40% of the vote against around 32% for the opposition party.
The result is expected to insulate Milei, a close ally of Trump, from legislative veto overrides and enable him to continue pursuing economic shock therapy, which has so far included sweeping attacks on pensioners, public health, and more.
The election win is also expected to secure Trump's continued support for a $40 billion bailout package—a combination of private-sector financing and a $20 billion currency swap—for Argentina, the International Monetary Fund's largest debtor. Ahead of Sunday's elections, Trump indicated that he would have pulled support for the bailout if Milei's party had performed badly.
"If he loses, we are not going to be generous with Argentina," Trump said of Milei. "If he wins, we're staying with him. If he doesn't, we're gone."
Rohit Chopra, former director of the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said in a statement Sunday that the Trump administration's bailout package for Argentina "was explicitly designed to influence the outcome of today's election" and urged Congress to act—which is unlikely, given Republican control.
"Congress should take a vote and block further bailout funds from flowing to Argentina," said Chopra. "The Trump administration should focus on reducing the cost of living for Americans, rather than pouring billions into Argentina."
"This is perhaps the most cruel and unlawful offense the Trump administration has perpetrated yet."
The Argentine election was held days after the Trump administration announced it would not use emergency funds to continue paying out Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits next month, imperiling food aid for more than 40 million Americans.
SNAP costs the federal government approximately $8 billion per month, a fraction of the $40 billion that the Trump administration has committed to Argentina.
Sharon Parrott, president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, noted that the Trump administration is flouting the law by refusing to tap the emergency funds for nutrition assistance.
"The administration itself admits these reserves are available for use," said Parrott. "It could have, and should have, taken steps weeks ago to be ready to use these funds. Instead, it may choose not to use them in an effort to gain political advantage."
US Reps. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) said in a statement that "this is perhaps the most cruel and unlawful offense the Trump administration has perpetrated yet—freezing funding already enacted into law to feed hungry Americans while he shovels tens of billions of dollars out the door to Argentina and into his ballroom."
"The president, his agriculture secretary, and his budget director need to stop playing politics with Americans struggling to afford food and release the SNAP funds that Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate overwhelmingly voted to provide," they added.
