Javier Milei Responds to Leaked US Memo on Falkland Islands Policy Shift

Argentine President Javier Milei has reaffirmed his country’s sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands amid reports that the United States may reconsider its longstanding support for the United Kingdom’s position on the disputed territory.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Milei stated unequivocally: “THE MALVINAS WERE, ARE, AND ALWAYS WILL BE ARGENTINE,” using the Spanish name for the islands that Argentina continues to assert as its own.

The president’s comments came after reports emerged of an internal Pentagon memo suggesting the U.S. Should reassess its diplomatic backing for the UK’s claim to the Falkland Islands. According to the leaked document cited by multiple news outlets, the potential policy shift is linked to growing tensions between Washington and its NATO allies over their level of support for U.S. And Israeli operations in Iran.

The memo, reportedly circulated within the U.S. Department of Defense, outlines possible measures to pressure NATO members deemed insufficiently supportive of American actions in Iran, including reevaluating U.S. Support for what it describes as European “imperial possessions” such as the Falkland Islands.

Argentina’s foreign minister, Pablo Quirno, also addressed the reports, calling for an end to what he described as British “colonialism” and urging bilateral negotiations with the UK to reach a “peaceful and definitive solution” to the sovereignty dispute.