On July 2, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had a productive meeting at the Pentagon with Argentina's Minister of Defense Luis Petri to explore ways to deepen and institutionalize the U.S. – Argentina defense relationship and deter malign influence in the Western Hemisphere. Secretary Hegseth recognized the progress to restore and rebuild the close partnership that has already been made under President Trump's and President Milei's leadership. The Secretary commended Argentina's commitment to defense modernization and its acquisition of F-16s and Strykers.
Secretary Hegseth and Minister Petri discussed space cooperation, critical minerals, the South Atlantic, and future cooperation plans. They also agreed to continued engagement on mutual defense priorities and regional security issues.
