Argentine president faces backlash over UN speech plagiarism

In Argentina, the aftermath of President Javier Milei's recent speech at the UN summit continues to reverberate. However, the focus is not on his delivery style but rather the content, which has been accused of plagiarism. According to local media, some parts appear to be copied from the TV series "The West Wing."

For several days, almost all of Argentina has been talking about President Javier Milei and his speech during the recent UN summit. It immediately stirred a lot of emotions, which have now intensified further. This is due to media reports suggesting that the Argentine president's speech was plagiarized.

We believe in the defence of life for everyone. We believe in the defence of property for everybody. We stand for freedom of speech for all. We support freedom of religion for everyone. We believe in free trade for all... And because these days what happens in one country quickly affects other countries, we believe that all people should live free from tyranny and oppression, whether in the form of political oppression, economic slavery, or religious fanaticism. This fundamental idea cannot just be words — it must be supported by actions: diplomatically, economically, and materially — Javier Milei said on September 24, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Although the speech completely aligned with what the president advocates on a daily basis, many people found it oddly familiar. Reactions were quick to follow. Journalists and internet users managed to point out that it is almost an identical copy of a fictional speech by U.S. President Jed Bartlet from the series "The West Wing."

We are for freedom of speech everywhere. We are for freedom of religion everywhere. We support the freedom to learn... for all. And because in our times you can build a bomb in your own country and bring it to my country, what happens in your country is also my concern. And that is why we strive for freedom from tyranny, everywhere, whether in the form of political oppression... or economic slavery... or religious fanaticism... This most basic idea cannot be realized solely with our symbolic support. It must be backed by our strength: diplomatically, economically, materially — we could hear this in the series from 21 years ago.

The issue greatly moved the Argentine media, which disagreed with the president and directly asked, "Didn't anyone else notice this?" As it later emerged, the presence of this type of quote was due to a strategist advising the president, who was a big fan of the series and its writer.