Argentine President Javier Milei has positioned himself as a leading conservative figure on the world stage, forging strong alliances with President Donald Trump and Israel while steering Argentina away from its previous administration’s ties with China. However, his choice of Gerardo Werthein as Foreign Minister could make this all for not, given Werthein’s connections to the Clintons and China.
Born on December 3, 1955, in Buenos Aires, Werthein is a businessman, diplomat, and sports administrator. On October 30, 2024, he assumed the role of Argentina’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Worship after serving as Argentina’s ambassador to the United States from April to October 2024.
During his tenure as ambassador, Werthein cultivated strong ties with the Biden administration, largely thanks to his long-standing relationship with former President Bill Clinton. Given the ideological alignment between Trump and Milei, many are questioning how Argentina can maintain its position as a key US ally while its Foreign Minister remains closely linked to the Democratic establishment and China.
For years, Werthein has maintained a close relationship with Bill and Hillary Clinton, emerging as a major donor to the Clinton Foundation. CBS News reported that in 2016, Werthein contributed between $1 million and $5 million to the organization, making him one of its top foreign donors. His financial support for Hillary Clinton’s campaign has been well-documented in both American and Argentine media.
Werthein has reportedly leveraged his Clinton connections for business purposes, a pattern noted in multiple media reports. When Milei took office, Werthein introduced him to Bill Clinton but made no effort to establish ties with Trump. Despite Milei’s strong rapport with Trump and his active presence in CPAC circles, sources within the Argentine government claim Werthein has sought to undermine this relationship.
Beyond his Clinton connections, Werthein has fostered close ties with China for decades. Since the early 2000s, he played a pivotal role in introducing Huawei to the Argentine market through his prominence in the telecommunications sector. As a diplomat, he has consistently prioritized relations with China, often contradicting Milei’s stated policy of reducing dependency on the communist regime.
