President Javier Milley said in a televised address that "winds of change" favorable to Argentina's claims to the Falkland Islands are blowing around the world, citing signs that Donald Trump may reconsider the US position on sovereignty over the islands, The Guardian reports.
"Recently, President Trump said that the US is reassessing its historical position on the Malvinas Islands," he said, using the Argentine name for the archipelago.
The head of state said that Britain faces "multiple crises of a migratory, demographic and economic nature that are unlikely to be resolved. It is clear that they are on a path of decline. Argentina's future, however, is thriving and will prevail."
Earlier on Thursday, British publication GB News asked Trump if he would "come to the UK's aid" during a potential territorial dispute with Argentina over the Falkland Islands and suggested he would not, adding that the UK "wasn't there to help me [with Iran]".
Supporters had expected Milley to use her address to the nation on Thursday night to announce unprecedented US support for Argentina's claim to sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
Instead, the far-right self-proclaimed libertarian simply referred to Trump's words from last Monday. When asked at the White House whether he was reviewing the US position on the islands, the US president replied: "I always review every position. This is just one of many".
Milley described Trump's response as a "threat" that was "not harmless".
"The US is considering this change in position because we know that Argentina is a reliable partner, committed to Western values, in a strategically important position that can be a valuable ally for decades to come," he said.
The US has officially recognized the de facto rule of the islands by the United Kingdom, but has not taken an official position on sovereignty. The first reports of a possible review emerged in April, when an internal Pentagon email reported by Reuters raised the issue of Washington reconsidering its position as one possible way to punish NATO allies that refused to join the war with Iran.
In the interview on Thursday, Trump said of the United Kingdom: "Your country was not there to help me. We didn't need help, but I asked NATO and I asked your former leader [Keir Starmer], "Why don't you send some ships?" He replied: "We don't have any". It was pretty sad, the whole thing."
Despite the expectations created by Milley and his supporters - the president called on all his ministers to stand by him - the main new elements of the speech were several decrees he announced.
One of them was to accelerate sanctions "against participants in oil extraction initiatives", referring in particular to an offshore oil project in the North Falkland Islands basin, led by the Israeli company Navitas together with its British partner Rockhopper. Milley argued that the project violated a UN call for neither Argentina nor the UK to take unilateral action in the territory.
Despite the "radical" In a statement, Millay said he would sign an emergency decree to increase resources for the Ministry of Defence, prioritising the construction of an integrated naval base on Tierra del Fuego. The project to build a base there predates Millay, with construction starting in 2022.
Repeating the same phrase used by the Argentine national football team on a banner celebrating their victory over England in the World Cup semi-final, Millay said: Las Malvinas son Argentinas! (The Malvinas are Argentina's)
The UK said earlier this week that its position on the Falkland Islands was "longstanding and unwavering". A statement said: "Sovereignty is the UK's and the islanders' right to self-determination is paramount. The UK's position is clear. The islanders have repeatedly expressed their desire to remain a British Overseas Territory.