Milei Follows Trump’s Lead by Establishing ‘Rapid Response’ Office

Argentina’s Milei Launches “Official Response Office” to Combat Alleged Media Misinformation

President Javier Milei’s administration has established a new “Official Response Office” aimed at confronting what it claims is fake news and inaccurate reporting by journalists. The initiative, announced Thursday via a new social media account on X, closely follows a similar move by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, which recently launched its own “Rapid Response 47” account.

Rather than functioning as a physical government office, the initiative operates primarily through social media, with its stated mission to “combat disinformation by providing more information” and help citizens distinguish between “facts and narratives.” The account will publicly respond to content the Executive branch deems false and expose what it considers “operations” conducted by critics in the media.

In its inaugural statement, the administration insisted this approach doesn’t threaten free expression: “This decision is unequivocal: we are adding an official voice to debunk operations – the opposite of censorship. The right to freedom of expression is sacred to this administration.”

The account’s first post signaled a confrontational stance, defining its role as “actively debunking lies, pointing out specific falsehoods, and laying bare the operations of the media and the political caste.” It added that “simply informing is not enough if disinformation advances without a response.”

Government officials linked the initiative to their earlier withdrawal of state advertising funds, known as “pauta,” which had previously been distributed at the administration’s discretion. They claimed that since ceasing to “finance narratives through state advertising,” critical voices and alleged falsehoods have become “louder,” necessitating this response mechanism.

However, local media investigations have revealed that such government funding still continues, albeit redirected through state companies like energy giant YPF and national airline Aerolíneas Argentinas, though at significantly reduced levels.

The administration maintains the account will not attempt to “convince or impose a viewpoint,” but rather provide citizens with tools to differentiate between factual information and biased narratives. “Democracy is not strengthened by tolerating lies, but by exposing them,” the statement concluded.

Critics quickly labeled the initiative the “Ministry of Truth” – a reference to George Orwell’s dystopian novel “Nineteen Eighty-Four,” in which a government department manipulates facts and rewrites history to support the ruling party’s agenda.

Milei’s relationship with the press has been consistently contentious since taking office in December 2023. He frequently targets journalists on social media, branding critical outlets as corrupt and even stating that Argentines “don’t hate journalists enough.” The president has yet to hold a single press conference, restricting his media interactions to a small circle of approved journalists and prestigious international outlets.

Media freedom organizations have expressed growing concern. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) noted in its 2025 press freedom ranking that Milei has attempted to “stigmatize” journalists, adding that “insults, defamation, and threats from Javier Milei’s administration toward journalists and media critical of his regime have become commonplace.” The organization also highlighted concerns about media ownership concentration and the precarious state of journalism in Argentina.

Several prominent organizations, including Argentina’s National Academy of Journalism, the Inter American Press Association, ADEPA, and FOPEA, have warned about the potential dangers of Milei’s anti-media rhetoric.

Government officials routinely ignore inquiries from certain media outlets, including the Times and other publications from Editorial Perfil SA, further restricting press access and transparency.

The establishment of this “Official Response Office” marks another chapter in the increasingly strained relationship between Milei’s administration and the press, raising further questions about the future of media freedom and government accountability in Argentina.