By Nicolás Misculin

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's foreign minister will meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday in a trip aimed at laying the initial groundwork for a trade deal between the two nations, even as President Donald Trump prepares to impose sweeping tariffs.

Gerardo Werthein's visit to Washington comes a day before Trump is expected to launch reciprocal tariffs on April 2, dubbed "Liberation Day" by the U.S. president, that will target all countries and potentially shake up global trade.

Governments around the world are looking for ways to dodge the tariffs and strike deals with the U.S. leader.

Argentina - a producer of grains, lithium and energy, which had some $13-16 billion worth of bilateral trade with the United States last year - is looking to build on ideological ties between Trump and its libertarian President Javier Milei.

In a statement before Werthein's trip, the Argentine government said he would meet Rubio to "strengthen the strategic alliance" between the two countries.

Discussions with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer would aim to "strengthen bilateral trade and begin laying the groundwork for a solid trade agreement," it said.

Milei, who, unlike Trump, is looking to tear down most trade barriers under his libertarian free-market economic strategy, has pushed for a trade deal with Washington since taking office in 2023, but ramped up those efforts this year.

He was the first world leader to meet Trump after his election and one of a small handful who attended his inauguration. Trump has called Milei, who wants to shrink the role of the state, his "favorite president".

Milei has also met Trump's billionaire adviser Elon Musk several times, with his "chainsaw" economics an inspiration for Musk's cuts to the U.S. federal agencies. Milei gifted Musk a real chainsaw in February.

Argentina's main trade partners are Brazil, China and the United States.

Its biggest exports to the United States last year were crude oil, metals and chemicals, while top imports from the world's largest economy were processed industrial supplies, processed fuels, capital goods and vehicle parts.

Rubio is expected to meet Werthein at the Department of State around midday in Washington.