Argentina’s President Accused of Plagiarizing UN Speech from TV Show

Argentina’s right-wing populist president, Javier Milei, has found himself embroiled in controversy after allegations emerged that he lifted portions of his recent speech at the United Nations General Assembly from the American political drama The West Wing. The Buenos Aires-based newspaper Página 12 raised the issue, claiming Milei had “copied, word for word, a monologue” delivered by the show’s fictional president, Josiah “Jed” Bartlet, played by Martin Sheen.

The Allegations of Plagiarism

The controversy erupted when political columnist Carlos Pagni highlighted the striking similarities between part of Milei’s address and a speech made by Bartlet in The West Wing 21 years ago. “Didn’t anyone else notice?” Pagni asked in La Nación, one of Argentina’s leading newspapers. He compared the texts of both speeches, suggesting that Milei’s team may have borrowed heavily from the fictional U.S. president.

During his speech at the UN on September 24, Milei stated: “We believe in defending everyone’s lives, property, and freedom of speech for everybody… And because in these times, what happens in one country quickly impacts others, we believe all people should live free from tyranny and oppression.”

This bears a striking resemblance to a speech delivered by President Bartlet in The West Wing. In that episode, Bartlet proclaimed: “We’re for freedom of speech everywhere. We’re for freedom to worship everywhere. We’re for freedom from tyranny everywhere, whether in the guise of political oppression, economic slavery, or religious fanaticism…”

A Fan of Fiction?

The connection between the two speeches has led to questions about whether the overlap was deliberate or accidental. La Nación attributed the similarity to Milei’s chief strategist, Santiago Caputo, who is reportedly a devoted fan of The West Wing and its creator, Aaron Sorkin. According to the newspaper, Caputo has watched the show multiple times, potentially influencing the president’s speechwriting.

Observers have noted the irony of Milei, a fiery right-wing leader associated with figures like Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro, drawing inspiration from a fictional progressive U.S. president known for his liberal policies. The situation has sparked amusement and debate among political analysts and the public alike.

Not the First Time Fiction Has Inspired Politics

Milei is not the first politician to face accusations of borrowing from The West Wing. In 2017, former British Prime Minister Theresa May was accused of echoing Bartlet’s words during the Conservative Party conference, though her team denied any plagiarism.

In 2020, an Australian Labor politician admitted to unintentionally lifting phrases from The West Wing during a parliamentary speech, calling it “an unconscious homage” to Aaron Sorkin’s writing.

Even other fictional U.S. presidents have seen their speeches co-opted in real life. In 2020, Argentine politician Alejandro Torres used lines from President Thomas J. Whitmore, the character from Independence Day, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mexican politician Miguel Ángel Covarrubias was also accused of borrowing lines from Frank Underwood, the Machiavellian president in Netflix’s House of Cards.

Milei’s Response Still Pending

As of now, Milei and his administration have yet to address the plagiarism accusations directly. This incident, however, adds a layer of intrigue to his unorthodox rise to power. Whether a case of homage, coincidence, or deliberate copying, the similarity between Milei’s UN speech and The West Wing dialogue has raised eyebrows across Argentina and beyond, potentially impacting his political image.