In its first message on X, this body explains that it was created "to actively refute lies, point out concrete falsehoods, and highlight the maneuvers of the media and the political class."

The Argentine presidency inaugurated an "Official Response Office" on Thursday, which, according to President Javier Milei, aims to "unmask the lies and manipulations of the media" regarding government actions, sparking concern within the media profession. In its first message on X, this body explains that it was created "to actively refute lies, point out concrete falsehoods, and highlight the manipulations of the media and the political establishment." "Simply 'informing' is not enough if disinformation spreads unchecked," the message adds. "Beyond informing, it is necessary to deny clearly and unequivocally."

The ultraliberal president Javier Milei retweeted the inaugural announcement on his own X account, adding a comment: "To expose the lies and maneuvers of the media."

Neither the account of the "Bureau" nor any official comment accompanying its launch specifies how the account will operate or who will administer it, separate from the official account of the Argentine presidency.

Conflict between Milei and the press

The initiative comes in the wake of Javier Milei's conflictual relationship with the press, which he regularly denigrated, even insulted, attacking journalists by name, during his first year and a half in office, before a relative calm since mid-2025. The daily Clarin (conservative), a regular target of Milei, has the honor of the first arrow from the "Official Response Office", the newspaper being accused of "gross maneuver" in connection with an article on supposed "delays" in the government's social assistance and employment program.

The influential Argentine media association Adepa expressed its "concern" in a statement regarding this account, which "operates on the assumption that someone is lying." It reiterated that in a democracy, "the state is one more source of information, not the arbiter of public truth." This type of state body "risks becoming a mechanism for surveillance, stigmatization, or the indirect suppression of journalism and critical opinions," Adepa emphasized.

The initiative is reminiscent of the "Media Bias" website launched in late 2025 in the United States, which presents itself as "a list of false and misleading information from the media, flagged by the White House," whose occupant, Donald Trump, is a close ally of Javier Milei.