Since taking office earlier this year, President Donald Trump has imposed a series of punishing tariffs on China as part of his effort to open its market and address fentanyl production, two issues which have made Trump livid.

Yet this past week saw Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent inadvertently leak details about how China is retaliating against the White House. 

Argentina is still selling soybeans to China

According to the Daily Mail, a photographer captured an image of Bessent reading a text message while he was at the United Nations Headquarters on September 23.

The text message was sent by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who explained that China has been purchasing soybeans from Argentina.

Those purchases have been happening despite a U.S. trade agreement which required the South American country to cut ties with the Chinese economy.

As Politico reported late last month, China has partly responded to Trump's tariffs by boycotting soybeans and purchasing the product elsewhere.

"Finally - just a heads up. I'm getting more intel, but this is highly unfortunate," Rollins was quoted as saying the message to Bessent.

Rollins: "We bailed out Argentina yesterday"

"We bailed out Argentina yesterday (Bessent) and in return, the Argentine's removed their export tariffs on grains, reducing their price, and sold a bunch of soybeans to China, at a time when we would normally be selling to China," she complained.

"Soy prices dropping further because of it," the Agriculture secretary lamented before pointing out how "[t]his gives China more leverage on us."

Yesterday, @POTUS and I spoke extensively with President @JMilei and his senior team in New York. As President Trump has stated, we stand ready to do what is needed to support Argentina and the Argentine people.

Under President Milei, Argentina has taken important strides… https://t.co/TlzvkbNxII

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) September 24, 2025

Rollins's remarks regarding a bailout for Argentina was a reference to Bessent's announcement that the Trump administration will "purchase Argentina’s USD bonds and will do so as conditions warrant."

Observers say Trump is trying to prop up Argentinian president

"We are also prepared to deliver significant stand-by credit via the Exchange Stabilization Fund, and we have been in active discussions with President Milei’s team to do so," he explained.

"I have also been in touch with numerous US companies who intend to make substantial foreign direct investments in Argentina[,] multiple sectors in the event of a positive election outcome," the treasury secretary went on to add.

Foreign Policy argued that those moves represent an attempt to help Argentinian President Javier Milei remain in office and forestall the election of opponents whom the Trump administration perceive as anti-American.