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Argentina's Milei Accused of Plagiarizing 'The West Wing' in UNGA Speech
Above: President of Argentina Javier Milei and President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele wave from the Argentine Government house balcony as part of a visit to Argentina at Casa Rosada on September 30, 2024 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Image copyright: Tomas Cuesta/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Plagiarism claims against Argentina's Pres. Javier Milei emerged on Thursday, as news outlet La Nación reported similarities between parts of his speech to the UN General Assembly in New York and monologues from TV series "The West Wing."
Columnist Carlos Pagni pointed out that remarks from Milei about freedom and the international community on Sept. 24 shared their basic structure with quotes that fictional character Jed Bartlet made in 2003.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
As if burning more bridges with the international community at the General Assembly weren't enough of an embarrassment for Argentina, it turns out that parts of Milei's speech were plagiarized from "The West Wing." Instead of trying to lecture the world on the best way forward, he should focus on his own country as the numbers aren't currently on his side.
Establishment-critical narrative
Whether Milei did or did not take inspiration from "The West Wing" for his speech at the General Assembly this year, what matters is that his remarks will be remembered for years to come, as he made clear the rarely-spoken truth about the UN to an audience that didn't want to hear it. These reports are merely a distraction from the challenge Milei has posed to the international establishment.