Intro

Post Show Musings

Outro

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently pledged $20 billion of support to Argentina to prevent its currency from sliding further and to backstop Javier Milei’s Trump-like economic agenda. Then, Argentina turned around and lowered its export tariffs and dumped its soybean crop on the market. They found a willing buyer in China, who has ceased purchasing U.S. agriculture due to the Trump tariff war. The whole affair boiled over when an AP photographer snapped a picture of a text thread on Bessent’s phone from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Collins who said U.S. soybean farmers were livid because their market collapsed. It’s another example of the Trump administration putting ideology and pettiness ahead of his own constituents. But there’s a larger game afoot that no one is talking about that this situation perfectly illustrates: We’re playing checkers and China is playing chess.

Chapters

Intro: 00:00:36

Post Show Musings: 00:25:22

Outro: 00:27:43

Resources

Americas Quarterly: A Key Pending Challenge for Milei’s Argentina

New York Times: Milei Vowed to Fix Argentina’s Economy. Then Came a New Crisis

Newsweek: Trump’s Argentina bailout sparks fury among farmers, Republicans

Paul Krugman: Why Is Trump Bailing Out Argentina?

Federal Reserve: Dollarization in Argentina

The Observatory of Economic Complexity: United States (USA) and Argentina (ARG) Trade

International Trade Administration: Argentina - Market Overview

MercoPress: Argentina records 21st straight trade surplus

CEIC Data: Argentina Consolidated Fiscal Balance, 1993 – 2025

Americas Quarterly: Milei’s Path to Dollarization: Riddled with Doubts

J.P. Morgan: De-dollarization: The end of dollar dominance?

Become a UNFTR Member

Book Love

Carol Wise: Dragonomics: How Latin America Is Maximizing (or Missing Out On) China's International Development Strategy

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Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently pledged $20 billion of support to Argentina to prevent its currency from sliding further and to backstop Javier Milei&rsquo;s Trump-like economic agenda. Then, Argentina turned around and lowered its export tariffs and dumped its soybean crop on the market. They found a willing buyer in China, who has ceased purchasing U.S. agriculture due to the Trump tariff war. The whole affair boiled over when an AP photographer snapped a picture of a text thread on Bessent&rsquo;s phone from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Collins who said U.S. soybean farmers were livid because their market collapsed. It&rsquo;s another example of the Trump administration putting ideology and pettiness ahead of his own constituents. But there&rsquo;s a larger game afoot that no one is talking about that this situation perfectly illustrates: We&rsquo;re playing checkers and China is playing chess.
Chapters
Intro: 00:00:36
Post Show Musings: 00:25:22
Outro: 00:27:43
Resources
Americas Quarterly: <a href="https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/a-key-pending-challenge-for-mileis-argentina/">A Key Pending Challenge for Milei&rsquo;s Argentina</a>
New York Times: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/world/americas/milei-argentina-economy.html">Milei Vowed to Fix Argentina&rsquo;s Economy. Then Came a New Crisis</a>
Newsweek: <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/trumps-argentina-bailout-sparks-fury-among-farmers-republicans-10809559">Trump&rsquo;s Argentina bailout sparks fury among farmers, Republicans</a>
Paul Krugman: <a href="https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/why-is-trump-bailing-out-argentina">Why Is Trump Bailing Out Argentina?</a>
Federal Reserve: <a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/ifdp/1993/460/ifdp460.pdf">Dollarization in Argentina</a>
The Observatory of Economic Complexity: <a href="https://oec.world/en/profile/bilateral-country/usa/partner/arg">United States (USA) and Argentina (ARG) Trade</a>
International Trade Administration: <a href="https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/argentina-market-overview">Argentina - Market Overview</a>
MercoPress: <a href="https://en.mercopress.com/2025/09/19/argentina-records-21st-straight-trade-surplus">Argentina records 21st straight trade surplus</a>
CEIC Data: <a href="https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/argentina/consolidated-fiscal-balance">Argentina Consolidated Fiscal Balance, 1993 &ndash; 2025</a>
Americas Quarterly: <a href="https://www.americasquarterly.org/article/mileis-path-to-dollarization-riddled-with-doubts/">Milei&rsquo;s Path to Dollarization: Riddled with Doubts</a>
J.P. Morgan: <a href="https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/global-research/currencies/de-dollarization">De-dollarization: The end of dollar dominance?</a>
<a href="https://www.unftr.com/memberships">Become a UNFTR Member</a>
Book Love
Carol Wise: <a href="https://bookshop.org/a/23377/9780300224092">Dragonomics: How Latin America Is Maximizing (or Missing Out On) China's International Development Strategy</a>
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If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: <a href="https://unftr.com/rate">unftr.com/rate</a> and follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Unfucking-The-Republic-102319714930389">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/unftr.com">Bluesky</a>, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@unftrpod">TikTok</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/unftrpod/">Instagram</a> at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at <a href="https://www.unftr.com/">unftr.com</a>. Join our Discord at <a href="https://www.unftr.com/discord">unftr.com/discord</a>.
Become a member at <a href="https://www.unftr.com/memberships">unftr.com/memberships</a>.
Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at <a href="https://shop.unftr.com/">shop.unftr.com</a>.
Visit our bookshop.org page at <a href="https://bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod">bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod</a> to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at<a href="https://bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations"> bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations</a>.
Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at <a href="https://www.unftr.com/accessibility">unftr.com/accessibility</a>.
Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (<a href="https://www.mannyfacesmedia.com">mannyfacesmedia.com</a>). Original music is by Tom McGovern (<a href="http://www.tommcgovern.com/">tommcgovern.com</a>). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.

Unf*cking The Republic® (UNFTR) is dedicated to progressive politics, leftist economic theories, and social justice in the United States. Join us for deep dives into socialism, labor rights, climate justice, and the fight against inequality. Whether you're curious about Marxist ideas, modern social movements, or progressive policies, UNFTR delivers thoroughly sourced critiques, analyses, and interviews with the historical context mainstream media won't provide. Subscribe for informative and unabashedly progressive coverage of the leftist political and economic landscape.

Unf*cking The Republic&reg; (UNFTR) is dedicated to progressive politics, leftist economic theories, and social justice in the United States. Join us for deep dives into socialism, labor rights, climate justice, and the fight against inequality. Whether you're curious about Marxist ideas, modern social movements, or progressive policies, UNFTR delivers thoroughly sourced critiques, analyses, and interviews with the historical context mainstream media won't provide. Subscribe for informative and unabashedly progressive coverage of the leftist political and economic landscape.

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