The White House and Rubio want to improve foreign policy coordination after the visa waiver agreement with Argentine officials signed by Noem

The signing of a visa waiver agreement between Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem and Argentine authorities, without Homeland Security Director and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, being informed in advance, has generated concern in the White House and exposed cracks in U.S. foreign policy coordination.

As revealed by Axios, Rubio learned of the pact after its announcement on July 28, which raised alarm bells in Washington. Sources close to him clarified that the disagreement was not with the measure itself, but with the breach of protocol in decision-making.

"The policy itself isn't a problem, it was just a breach of protocol," one official said under anonymity. "Marco likes Kristi and he talks to her all the time. It's just that this is not a good way to conduct foreign policy if the lines of communication are like this."

Following the incident, the White House and the National Security Council (NSC) issued a memo, signed Aug. 8 by Rubio himself and Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, that now obligates all officials to notify and coordinate any contact with foreign leaders.

"Any proposed agreements, directives or demands involving foreign leaders or countries must be notified, coordinated and approved through the interagency process at the White House, via the NSC," reads the document cited by Axios. "No commitments or statements binding the United States may be made without prior NSC approval."

Asked about the case, spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt specified that the text "was not directed at any specific individual," but to President Donald Trump's entire high-level team, with the aim of reinforcing a "coordinated and deliberate" approach to foreign policy.

The controversy comes after Noem, while in Buenos Aires, signed a "declaration of intent" to readmit Argentina to the Visa Waiver Program, which would eventually allow its citizens to travel to the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa. However, the NSC had knowledge and the information did not reach Rubio beforehand.

The episode, moreover, coincided with another controversy: the presence on the trip of Corey Lewandowski, former Trump campaign adviser and Noem's de facto chief of staff, whose employment status is under investigation.

"Lewandowski, a former Trump campaign aide, is classified as a temporary employee. The White House is tracking his work hours at DHS amid suspicions he's worked more days than allowed," Axios reported.

"Corey went with Noem to Argentina and someone should have alerted Rubio," an official said on condition of anonymity.