Manuel Adorni took over as presidential spokesperson for Javier Milei in December 2023. A few days ago he was appointed Chief of Staff and has already formally assumed office. During his time as spokesperson, he starred in several moments that generated criticism for being considered inappropriate, ridiculous or erroneous, whether due to confusion, evasive answers, dissemination of false information or controversial statements.
Shortly after taking office, in December 2023, Adorni announced that the government would stop paying million-dollar insurance for paintings at Quinta de Olivos, citing a cost of $2,600,000. However, the information was imprecise: the paintings had already been removed by the previous management, the amount was in pesos (2,733,611 annually) and was not in the current budget. It was described as “fake news” to generate media impact.
In May 2024, in the middle of the conference, a Spanish journalist asked about the diplomatic tensions between Argentina and Spain. Adorni did not know how to respond at the moment, visibly uncomfortable, and asked him to “leave his information” to respond later. The moment was called unusual and unprofessional, highlighting its difficulty in handling international queries.
In April 2024, during a press conference, Adorni was asked about the number of dogs that President Milei had, a sensitive topic due to cloning and rumors. He responded: “If the president says there are five dogs, there are five dogs and it’s over.” The phrase was seen as an example of absolute obedience and lack of independence, ridiculing his role as spokesperson.
In August 2025, Adorni shared on his X account a video manipulated with artificial intelligence where the Buenos Aires governor Axel Kicillof seemed to say that he had no proposals for the elections. The original was a real interview, but edited to distort his words. Although it was quickly denied, Adorni did not immediately delete it, and Milei amplified it, generating accusations of electoral disinformation.
That same month, in August 2025, after leaked audios exposing an alleged bribery circuit in the National Disability Agency, Adorni issued a statement denouncing “espionage” and victimizing the government. However, the text unleashed official internal affairs and was criticized by Jorge Rial, who pointed out that it revealed more than necessary, complicating the Executive’s position and suggesting internal recordings to officials.
In September 2025, after the electoral defeat in Buenos Aires, Adorni admitted a “political error” in communication, but blamed the voters: “It was not explained to the people of Buenos Aires why we do what we do. They did not understand it.” The statement was seen as condescending and ridiculous as it implied that the problem was with the people and not with Government policy.
Finally, in October 2025, during the closing of the La Libertad Avanza campaign in Rosario, Adorni acted as presenter and announced Virginia Gallardo as a candidate “for Entre Ríos.” In reality, he was competing for Corrientes. The geographical error was described as a “Mesopotamian blooper” and showed a lack of preparation regarding its own candidates.
These episodes, presented in chronological order, show a series of missteps that range from imprecise data to responses that sparked ridicule and criticism. Together, they strengthened the idea of a spokesperson more focused on defending the president without nuance than on offering accurate information.
