Javier Milei

Early life and education

Javier Gerardo Milei was born on 22 October 1970 in Palermo, Buenos Aires, to Norberto Milei and Alicia Lucich. He grew up in the neighborhood of Villa Devoto and later moved to the Sáenz Peña district. Alicia worked as a homemaker, and Norberto was a bus driver who later became a successful businessman.

Milei is of paternal Italian descent. His grandfather came from Rossano in the Calabria region of Southern Italy in 1926. His father's maternal great-grandparents came from the municipalities Francavilla in Sinni and Pignola in the Basilicata region of Southern Italy. On his maternal side, he is of Croatian and Italian descent. His mother's paternal grandparents and great-grandparents came from Jelsa on the island of Hvar and settled in San Lorenzo, a department in the province of Santa Fe in Argentina. His mother's maternal grandparents came from San Severino in the Marche region of Central Italy and settled also in San Lorenzo. Furthermore, Milei revealed in 2024 that his grandfather, a great influence in his life, discovered that he was Jewish from matrilineal descent shortly before his death. He also expressed that his grandfather's maternal grandfather may have been a rabbi.

Milei says he was subject to abuse during his childhood, and after he moved away from home as a young adult, he did not speak to his parents for a decade. By 2018, he had stopped talking to them entirely and regarded them as dead. Milei has said the abuse he suffered contributed to his ability to handle adversity. He was supported by his maternal grandmother and his younger sister, Karina, with whom he shares a close bond and whom he calls "the boss". Milei attended Catholic schools, including the Cardenal Copello secondary school. At school, he was nicknamed el Loco ("the Madman") for his outbursts and passionate rhetoric. In his late teens and early adulthood, Milei sang in the cover band Everest, which mostly played Rolling Stones covers. He also played goalkeeper for the Chacarita Juniors football team until 1989, when Argentina suffered from hyperinflation, and he committed to a career in economics.

The collapse of Argentina's exchange rate led to Milei's interest in economics in the early 1980s. Milei studied introductory economics and the law of supply and demand, which seemed to him at odds with the ongoing hyperinflation; he said he saw people "throwing themselves on top of the merchandise" in a supermarket and began to study economics in more detail to understand it.

Early political career

Rise to prominence

During the 2010s, Milei regularly participated in televised debates, where he was known for using strong language and confrontational rhetoric. In some instances, he insulted other participants and used profanity when expressing his political views, including during a debate with Buenos Aires chief of government Horacio Rodríguez Larreta. This led many commentators to label him anti-political or disruptive. Ted Cruz, a United States senator, jokingly proposed inviting him to the 2024 Republican Party presidential debates.

In February 2017, Milei praised former economy minister Domingo Cavallo, describing him as the best to have held the position in Argentina. He credited Cavallo with ending the 1989 hyperinflation and initiating state reforms, and attributed the 2001 economic crisis to earlier policy decisions that Cavallo was unable to reverse in time. In November 2017, Milei drew attention for criticizing the Faculty of Economic Sciences at the University of Buenos Aires, which he described as a center of Marxist indoctrination. He argued that this had contributed to what he called a widespread dominance of Keynesian economic thought in Argentina.

In June 2018, Milei was involved in a public dispute with the journalist Teresita Frías after he called her “dumb” in response to calling his political views totalitarian. Consequently, a local court briefly imposed appearance restrictions on Milei, though no charges were filed. That same year, Milei made his acting debut in the play El consultorio de Milei, alongside Claudio Rico and Diego Sucalesca. In 2019, Noticias included him on its list of the most influential people in Argentina. In 2020, he publicly supported protests against the government of President Alberto Fernández.

2021 legislative campaign

From 2020 to 2021, Milei was a member of Avanza Libertad (Advance, Freedom), a political party founded by José Luis Espert. During his campaign for the Argentine Chamber of Deputies, Milei focused on Buenos Aires neighborhoods, where he took strolls and had talks with ordinary people. He pledged not to support any tax increases or new taxes. He ran under the slogan "I didn't come here to lead lambs, but to awaken lions", denouncing what he saw as a political caste, which he said was composed of "useless, parasitic politicians who have never worked". He called politicians "rats" and said they formed "a parasitic caste" that thinks only about getting rich. He used phrases like "I'm here to kick these criminals out" and was especially supported by youth; he promoted his political views on television, radio, and YouTube. Additionally, Milei reconciled with his parents.

In July 2021, Milei established the coalition La Libertad Avanza (Freedom Advances), which secured third place in primary elections with 13.66 percent of the vote and third in the 2021 Argentine legislative election with 17 percent, and the libertarian coalition entered the Argentine Congress. They performed best in Córdoba and Santa Fe, the second- and third-most populated districts in the country. They performed well in Peronist strongholds in North Tucumán, Salta, La Rioja, San Juan, and Santa Cruz in Patagonia, which is considered the cradle of Kirchnerism.

National deputyship

After being elected to the Chamber of Deputies, Javier Milei began raffling off his monthly salary, stating that the initiative aimed to “return money to the citizens” and criticizing taxation as coercive. He described the salary as “dirty money” taken by force and claimed he was returning funds allegedly “stolen by the political caste”. The raffles, open to the general public, had distributed over seven million pesos by the time of reporting.

As a deputy, Milei had an attendance rate of 52% in the chamber as of April 2023. By August 2023, he had not introduced any legislation or joined parliamentary commissions. One of his absences was criticized by the opposition coalition Juntos por el Cambio, as it allowed the government to pass a tax increase on airline tickets by a single vote.

In July 2023, Javier Milei was investigated over allegations of selling candidacies within his coalition, La Libertad Avanza. Businessman Juan Carlos Blumberg accused the coalition of turning politics into a business, a claim Milei denied. He was also accused of receiving financial and logistical support from Peronist provincial governments. Journalist Juan Luis González alleged that Milei accepted funding and aid from the Peronist sectors he publicly opposed. Prosecutor Ramiro González stated there was no concrete evidence to support the claims at the time. Milei dismissed the investigation as a political attack and called for an inquiry into the prosecutor's conduct, accusing him of harming his reputation. The case was closed in March 2024 due to a lack of sufficient evidence for formal charges.

Coinx World promotion

On 18 December 2021, Javier Milei promoted the financial services company Coinx World on his Instagram account after visiting its offices in Buenos Aires. In his post, he praised the company's investment platform and encouraged his followers to contact them. Coinx World used the visit for promotional purposes on social media, presenting itself as a fintech firm specializing in algorithmic trading. The company stated that its meeting with Milei was a consultation on communication strategy and claimed that its operations were supported by El Salvadoran legislation, where it was headquartered.

Financial experts warned that CoinX's claims were unsustainable and compared its operation to a Ponzi scheme. At that time, neither Javier Milei was registered in Argentina's National Securities Commission to make invitations to the public to invest nor did Coinx World have the authorization to operate in the public offering, which led the National Securities Commission to declare it as an irregular public offering in 2022.

In an interview with journalist Ernesto Tenembaum, in June 2022, Javier Milei claimed that he was paid for that public support just like he is paid for "all his opinions," and that the company "did not scam anyone". He explained in that interview, that Coinx World "took money and used it to buy securities in US dollars. With the devaluation that occurred, they were able to pay significantly higher interest rates in Argentine pesos than those offered by Argentina's Central Bank, which allowed them to secure funding to invest in their crypto farms where they generated cryptocurrencies and had more money. The business model was well-structured." Milei could not explain why he encouraged his followers to invest in Coinx World and did not apologize to the victims when asked to do so.

Javier Milei also defended the fintech on social media when some followers pointed out it could be a Pyramid scheme. "Coinx paid everyone", he said. "Do not let yourselves be fooled by the paid hitmen of Juntos por el Cambio."

In 2023, Coinx World was shut down by regulators after a criminal investigation for allegedly operating as a Ponzi scheme. Police raids were conducted on its offices in Buenos Aires and Santa Fe with four employees, including its CEO, being arrested. Investors, the majority of whom followed Javier Milei on social media, sued him for losses estimated between AR$30,000,000 and AR$40,000,000 (approximately US$300,000 at the time). According to its website, Coinx World operated in Argentina, Brazil, and El Salvador.

Elections

2023 presidential campaign

A member of the Libertarian Party, Milei ran for president of Argentina as part of La Libertad Avanza, a right-wing political coalition. His running mate was Victoria Villarruel. His younger sister, Karina Milei, managed his campaign. In May 2022, Milei was rising in the polls. In June 2022, he officially launched his presidential campaign. In March 2023, a poll showed that 17 percent of Argentines would vote for him and that his political coalition would become the third parliamentary force in the Argentine Congress. His rhetoric was attractive to under-30 voters born during the 1998–2002 Argentine great depression and facing the still ongoing economic stagnation. His supporters include those who once voted for Kirchnerism but would now vote for Milei as a protest even if they did not support his economic ideas. Lucas Romero, the head of Synopsis, a local political consulting firm and Andrei Roman, CEO of Brazil-based pollster Atlas Intel believe that Javier Milei's victory in the 2023 elections was not necessarily a result of popular approval of his ideas but rather stemmed from widespread dissatisfaction with the political establishment, which had been strongly left-wing in its economic approach. The people thus wanted change.

As annual inflation rose above 100 percent in May 2023, Milei's position in the polls rose. In June 2023, the markets welcomed Sergio Massa's presidential candidacy, as it polarized the election between the ruling party and Juntos por el Cambio, reducing the "Milei factor". Notable moments in Milei's campaign included a viral video of him tearing cards from a wallboard with the names of ministries that he wants to abolish and tossing them into the air as he said afuera ("out"), wielding a chainsaw on stage, smashing a piñata on air to symbolize his plans, calling Pope Francis "a filthy leftist", and praising American gangster Al Capone as "a hero".

Primary and general elections

In the August 2023 primary elections, which are seen as an indication of how citizens are likely to vote in the October 2023 general election, Milei emerged as the leading candidate, with 30 percent of the vote, ahead of the traditional Peronism–Kirchnerism and Macrism that dominated the country in the 2010s. Milei's victory was celebrated by right-wing figures, including Jair Bolsonaro, José Antonio Kast, Ted Cruz, and the Spanish conservative political party Vox. Polls had predicted that Massa would secure the most votes as a candidate in the primaries, with Juntos por el Cambio expected to be the most supported coalition overall; Milei polled at about 20 percent and was seen as an outsider candidate. Initially, for the first round of the general election, with the possibility of a runoff in November, Peronists saw Milei as a possible ally who would divide the votes of the Juntos por el Cambio coalition.

As a result of his strong performance in the primaries, Milei was considered the front-runner in the general election. His rise has been placed within the context of the last two presidencies of Mauricio Macri and Alberto Fernández. On 22 October, Milei advanced to the runoff, facing Massa in what polls showed as a tight race. In the runoff on 19 November, Milei defeated Massa in a landslide and a historic election. It was the highest vote percentage since Argentina's transition to democracy. Observers generally saw Milei's win as a sign more of discontent with the status quo than support for his politics, and his victory was likened to Donald Trump's in the United States and Jair Bolsonaro's in Brazil. Within the Argentine Congress, Milei's coalition achieved about 20% in the Chamber of Deputies and 10% in the Senate. In his victory speech, Milei pledged a new political era, vowing to begin "the reconstruction of Argentina" and end its economic decline.

2025 Argentine legislative elections

As of 1 pm, 23% of the electorate had voted by noon. This was notably lower than 2023, where voter turnout was 30.3% by noon. At 9:25 pm, results were published, with La Libertad Avanza in first place with 40.84% of the vote, much stronger than expected, and the opposition Peronist coalition Homeland Force in second place with 31.63% of the vote. Turnout was lower than usual, at 67.85 percent of the 36 million eligible voters – the lowest tally for a national election since the return of democracy in 1983. Prior polling forecasted La Libertad Avanza attaining 30 to 35% of the vote. Several American media outlets reported the strong win as a renewed mandate for Milei's policies.

Presidency (2023–present)

Early actions (2023–2025)

Milei took office as president on 10 December 2023, amidst a lack of support in Congress, an annual inflation rate approaching 200%, rising poverty, and a polarized population as challenges for his presidency. His foreign minister, Diana Mondino, announced that Argentina would not join the BRICS bloc of developing economies, as had been planned for 2024. In his first speech as president, Milei warned of an economic shock, described as shock therapy in monetary terms, to be used to fix Argentina's financial woes. Following his inauguration, Milei saw his popularity rise. After the first governmental and economic reforms he and his ministers made, 53% of the Argentine people had a good, or excellent, opinion of him, according to a poll by Aresco on 15 December.

Milei's cabinet includes ministers from La Libertad Avanza and Juntos por el Cambio. In his first acts as president, Milei signed 13 decrees related to his cabinet members. He also lowered the number of ministries from 18 to 9. He appointed three secretariats with portfolio rank, including his sister, to the position of General Secretary of the Presidency, after modifying the anti-nepotism law prohibiting the appointment of family members.

Milei signed Decree 70/2023, deregulating the Argentine economy. Since such a move is subject to approval by Congress, it called for an extraordinary session, to be held in the first months of 2024. As part of the measure, an estimated 5,000 public sector employees were expected to be affected. An Argentine court halted the labor reforms that were part of the decree. The CGT also organized a general strike against the proposed policies involving tens of thousands of Argentine workers on a 12-hour strike, which resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

In March 2024, when Argentina submitted a complaint against Venezuela to the International Civil Aviation Organization for violating the Convention on International Civil Aviation, Milei and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro traded accusations. That month, Milei approved the transfer of two military Mi-171E helicopters to Ukraine, which it later received. On 18 April, Argentina formally submitted a request to become a NATO global partner. Meanwhile, various anti-government protests took place from January to June over e.g. not increasing university funds and cuts to subsidies and social programmes. These protests occurred in the context of broad, general approval according to a poll published by Clarín on 7 June 2024, where most Argentines had a positive image of their president and an optimistic view of future economic measures. Under his watch, Argentina exited deficit for the first time in 123 years. In a speech given to the World Economic Forum, Milei encouraged a worldwide push for libertarianism, claiming Argentina's was a successful example. He also stated that "radical feminism" was a "distortion" of equality.

Later actions (2025–present)

Javier Milei, following a strong showing in the recent mid-term elections where he tripled his presence in Congress, has embarked on a drive to solidify his reform agenda in Argentina. First, he convened governors and the Buenos Aires mayor at the Casa Rosada, gathering 20 out of 23 provinces (while excluding four Peronist leaders) to build consensus around his 2026 Budget and structural reforms focused on labour, tax and penal-code changes. Concurrently, he announced a sweeping “new economic roadmap” to be deployed once the new Congress seats in December, featuring major labour, tax and pension overhauls aimed at restoring fiscal balance, formalizing informal work, simplifying the tax burden and protecting private property — part of his broader vision of making Argentina “the freest country in the world.”

In February 2026, the National Congress approved legislation supported by Milei to liberalise Argentina's labour laws.

Economy

In 2024, under President Javier Milei, Argentina saw major economic changes, focusing on austerity, deregulation, and reducing government spending. The most pressing issue for Milei was hyperinflation. Inflation dropped from 300% in May 2024 to 55.9% in March 2025, the lowest level in over three years, with monthly inflation hitting a five-year low of 2.2% in January. Milei cut government positions by approximately 52,000, a reduction of between 9.6% and 15.7%; reduced salaries of high-ranking officials; and shut down the tax agency (AFIP), replacing it with a smaller one, saving billions. While poverty rose to 57% early in 2024, it declined to 38.1% by Q3, with homelessness also decreasing.

The economy shrank in early 2024, but grew 3.9% in Q3, helped by an 80.2% rebound in agriculture. The Argentine peso strengthened by 44.2% against the U.S. dollar, boosting average wages in dollar terms to $990. Wages, along with purchasing power in Argentina began falling in October 2023, before Milei was elected and inaugurated as president. By the start of his presidency, real wages fell by more than 20%. They have mostly rebounded back to their November 2023 levels, ending the first year of his presidency as an economic success.

Argentina paid off $4.3 billion in debt, and investor confidence soared, pushing bond prices higher. According to Gallup, the confidence in the economy by everyday people soared in end of 2024, reaching heights not seen since 2015. The country signed a free trade deal with the EU, and credit ratings improved. Forecasts predict economic growth of 3.5%–5.5% in 2025 as inflation stabilizes and investments increase. Argentina's market risk assessment fell below 500 points for the first time since 2018.

2025 was a turbulent year for Milei. Inflation had become 1.5% a month, and poverty had markedly fallen to 31.6%, the lowest it had been since 2018. In the first half of 2025, reports indicate that the middle class grew by 7.7 million, rebounding back to pre-pandemic levels of 39% Moody's have increased Argentina's rating from 'Ca' to 'Caa3 as Argentina's economy demonstrates solid recovery progress. While average wages increased 20.7% in the first half of 2025, outpacing the country's 15.1% inflation rate, and GDP was expected to grow 5.5%, final GDP for the year ended up at 4.37%, and while wages rose 28.8%, the inflation rate reached 31.8%, resulting in a 2.5% decline in real purchasing power. Milei contended that a fiscal surplus remained non-negotiable, with a target of 1.6% for 2025, and a surplus of 1.4% was achieved.

Foreign policy

Milei made a radical change to Argentina's traditional foreign policy, aligning Argentina with the United States and Israel. Some analysts, like Ayelén Oliva of the BBC News or Walter Schmidt of Clarín, have compared his rapprochement to these countries to President Menem's similar policies in the 1990s.

Milei's views on the Russian invasion of Ukraine had distanced him from other right-wing figures. He first supported Ukraine in its defense against Russia, and sent military helicopters to Ukraine during the first months of his presidency. Milei also cooled relations with Russia, and has considered sending more lethal aid to Ukraine. However, since the change in U.S. administration in 2025, Milei's government started backing U.S.-led peace efforts.

During the Gaza war, Milei was a fierce supporter of Israel, vowing his "unwavering" support. Among his measures in support of Israel, Milei declared Hamas as a terrorist organization in July 2024, and ordered the Argentine delegation at the UN to vote against the incorporation of the State of Palestine into the United Nations. In February 2024, Milei visited Israel and went to a kibbutz that had been attacked by Hamas militants during the October 7 attacks. After the confirmation of the deaths of Bibas family (who were Argentine citizens kidnapped by Hamas), Milei declared two days of national mourning upon the return of the family's bodies on 21 February 2025.

In Latin America, Milei dismissed the results of the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election as "fraudulent" and called on Nicolás Maduro to resign. On 7 August 2024, Argentina became one of the first nations to recognize Edmundo González as the legitimate President of Venezuela. Milei also met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the second inauguration of Donald Trump and reaffirmed the intention to continue to pressure Maduro to exit power. As a result of the ensuing tensions, Venezuela ordered Milei's arrest and Argentina ordered Maduro's arrest.

Milei has expressed discontent or strong ideological differences with China, even threatening to cut ties with China during his presidential campaign. In the immediate aftermath of Milei's electoral victory, the government of Taiwan congratulated Milei and said that Taiwan would seek to strengthen ties with Argentina. Moreover, it was rumored in December 2023, that then Foreign Minister Diana Mondino had held a meeting with a Taiwanese official, raising suspicions of Taiwanese financing of Milei's presidential campaign. In response to these allegations, China's ambassador to Argentina Wang Wei issued a statement reaffirming the principle of a One-China, adding that Taiwan is an "inalienable part of China" and an internal affair as well. Following threats by the Chinese government to stop buying soy and meat from Argentina in response to perceived ties between the two governments, the Argentine government clarified that there were no official contacts between Argentine and Taiwanese officials. In January 2026, Milei said that his position on China has not changed, adding that trade agreements and other contacts with China respond to "pragmatic reasons" and not to ideological changes about the Chinese government.

Cryptocurrency scandal

In February 2025, Milei publicly promoted the cryptocurrency $LIBRA, a meme coin, on his X account; the coin suffered a disastrous price drop shortly afterwards. Commentators have said that it could have been a rug pull. The resulting controversy was dubbed Cryptogate by the media. The Economist called it the "first big scandal" of Milei's presidency.

In response, opposition politicians in Congress called for Milei's impeachment, and a group led by Claudio Lozano, the leader of the opposition Popular Unity party, filed charges of fraud against Milei. However, the initiative does not have enough supporters in the Impeachment Commission to proceed with the proposal. Milei conceded that promoting the coin was a mistake on his part, noting that he did not participate in its development. However, reports suggest close associates of Milei, Mauricio Novelli and Manuel Terrones Godoy, were in touch with LIBRA's creator Hayden Davis, who was responsible for the launch of the token. Novelli was reported to have accepted bribes in exchange for providing access to the president and having facilitated the president's promotion of the token; although there is no evidence that Milei was aware of this. Milei and his government have defended him and said that he regularly promotes private Argentine ventures and projects online on his X account to attract investments and create jobs; and will continue to do so. One government official described Milei as the scam's biggest victim and said that he was cheated. Because of the rug pull, Milei ordered the Anti-Corruption office to determine whether any improper conduct occurred by any member of the national government, including himself. However, this office is part of the executive branch, and its director was placed in office by Milei. Milei's lawyer stated that Milei's behaviour "does not constitute any crime, due to the lack of intention". Milei also stated in an interview that he would seek legal advice from Mariano Cúneo Libarona, the minister of justice, an action seen as an acknowledgement that the promotion was an official action as president. However, he also argued that the "volatility traders" who lost funds understood the risks involved.

Job approval

Javier Milei's approval rating has been volatile throughout his presidency, coinciding with scandals, the state of the economy, improvement and deterioration and elections. Milei's victory in the elections of 2023 were not due to widespread approval of his ideas or policies, but moreso as a form of protest against the establishment parties.

In a Gallup poll on 10 December 2024, the approval ratings for Milei were around 50%, with trust in the government having doubled since 2023. The perception of the economic situation and the standard of living has also improved, with 53% of Argentines believing that their standard of living is now better, reaching the same high as 2015. 41% believe the economy of their city is also improving, reflecting a more optimistic view of Argentina. However, 69% of Argentines believe that it is a bad time to look for a job in this economy, while 35% do not have enough money for food, although these figures are a modest decrease from their two-decade high in 2019. 59% of the richest 20%, but only 39% of the poorest 20% approve of Milei's governance, though the ratings are still higher across the socioeconomic board when compared to Milei's predecessor, Alberto Fernández.

Through 2024 in to March 2025, Milei's approval rating declined from 49% to 47% with his disapproval numbers rising from 48% to 49%. His two predecessors, Alberto Fernández and Mauricio Macri saw a 50% to 28% and 72% to 45% drop during the same periods in office. The issues cited most commonly by respondents were the current IMF negotiations and the handling of the Bahia Blanca natural disaster.

The corruption scandal revealed in August 2025 had a profound impact on Milei's approval rating, shifting from a steady 48% just a month before to 39%. In late August, local outlets released audio recordings that allegedly captured a high-ranking government official talking about bribes and implying that Karina Milei, the president's sister and chief of staff, was receiving kickback payments. Javier Milei has rejected the claims as false, while Karina has not publicly addressed them. His supporters have claimed that his opponents, the Peronists and Kirchnerists have framed or otherwise. Despite the scandal Milei's party, La Libertad Avanza remains as one of the most popular parties in Argentina.

On 25 September 2025, the approval rating for Javier Milei was at an all-time low of 32.1%, largely due to the Jose Espert's — La Libertad Avanza's lead candidate for the Chamber of Deputies in Buenos Aires Province — ties to drug traffickers being exposed as well as the economic crisis of September 2025. Despite disapproval ratings soaring, Milei's party attained a larger than expected victory in the legislative elections of 2025. According to political scientist Carlos Fara, the rejection of Peronism “carried more weight” than the recent political and corruption scandals surrounding Milei's government, the run on the peso and “the fatigue with the President’s leadership style." This was reflected in the low turnout of 67 percent, the lowest figure since 1983 in a country with compulsory voting.

Political positions

Milei advocates minimal government, focusing on administering justice and ensuring security, with a philosophy rooted in life, liberty, and property, and free market principles. He criticizes socialism and communism, advocating economic liberalization and restructuring of government ministries. He opposes Argentina's Central Bank and current taxation policies.

Economically, Milei is influenced by the Austrian school, and admires former President Carlos Menem's policies. He supports capitalism, viewing socialism as embodying envy and coercion. Milei proposes reducing government ministries and addressing economic challenges through spending cuts and fiscal reforms, criticizing previous administrations for excessive spending. He has praised the monetary policies of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, and called her "a great leader".

Milei opposes abortion and euthanasia, and supports privatization in education and health care. He opposes mandatory vaccination, and supports drug legalization and the legalization of prostitution. As a supporter of the right to keep and bear arms, Milei advocates for the deregulation of firearm ownership, and proposes immigration restrictions for criminals. In foreign policy, Milei criticizes the IMF, opposes trade unions, aligns with anti-socialist figures of the Americas like Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro, and prioritizes alliances with the United States and Israel. Milei has disputed the estimated death toll of the Dirty War, and removed funding for special prosecutors, claiming it violates the country's constitution. He had been critical of relations with China because of its communist ideology during his presidential campaign, but he came to see China as a business partner in the first year of his presidency. He supports Ukraine against Russia in the latter's ongoing invasion. He opposes the transgender rights movement, and what he calls a "cult of gender ideology". He repealed the decree that established a job quota for transgender people in the public sector.

Milei advocates for dialogue with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute. In May 2024, he indicated, for the time being, his general acceptance of the Falkland Islands' status as a British Overseas Territory, accepting that it could take decades for Argentina to regain control of them. Though asserting that Argentina would not "relinquish [our] sovereignty" over the islands, Milei said he would not "seek conflict with the United Kingdom", preferring to resolve the dispute "within the framework of peace".

Public image

Milei has cultivated a complex and controversial public image marked by a blend of populist, right-wing libertarian, and conservative ideologies. Known for his ultra-liberal economic views and right-wing populist rhetoric, Milei's political stance has been subject to various interpretations by international media and political commentators. His rise to prominence during the 2023 presidential campaign, fueled by his primary win, sparked widespread attention, as did his central bank abolition and dollarization proposals.

Milei is known for his flamboyant personality, distinctive personal style, and strong media presence, which sometimes causes controversy, and his embrace of conspiracy theories, including the Cultural Marxism conspiracy theory. He has also called the idea of climate change as an anthropogenic phenomenon "a socialist lie" and said that concerns about it are nothing more than "deceptions promoted by the neo-Marxists", as are those related to the attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election. Echoing Donald Trump, he also claimed electoral fraud ahead of the 2023 presidential runoff. Like other right-wing populists, his rhetoric focuses on opposing what he calls "the political caste". Milei's party was criticized for including among his candidates apologists for the National Reorganization Process. During his political career, Milei has also been involved in several investigations and has been accused of having a violent attitude toward journalists and critics, as well as of misogynistic behavior, including toward women in journalism.

Milei is a cosplayer with a superhero persona called "General AnCap". He also champions free love. In addition to being nicknamed el Peluca ("The Wig") for his eccentric hair, which has been compared to that of Trump and fellow right-wing populists Boris Johnson and Geert Wilders, Milei is known as el Loco ("The Madman"). News outlets have likened him to both Trump and Wolverine. His admirers also call him "The Lion" because of the lyrics of the song "Panic Show" by rock band La Renga, which he sings in his public acts, coupled with his looks (in particular, his long hair). Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2024 and 2025.

The chainsaw has become an enduring and popular symbol associated with Milei (he has been called the "chainsaw candidate"), specifically symbolizing his "cutting" of regulations, bureaucracy, and red tape in Argentina. Some commentators have called Milei's economic policy of cutting regulations "chainsaw economics". Milei's supporters often carry chainsaws at rallies, symbolizing "his promise to cut down the size of the state". Milei is also well known for his phrase "¡Viva la libertad, carajo!", which is uttered most especially at the end of various speeches given by him.

Honours and awards

Spain:

Community of Madrid:

International Medal of the Community of Madrid (20 June 2024)

Ukraine:

Order of Liberty (25 June 2024)

Israel:

Presidential Medal of Honour (20 April 2026)

Brazil:

São Paulo:

Order of Ipiranga (25 July 2026)

Other

Milei was awarded the 2025 Genesis Prize in recognition of his support of Israel. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate from Bar-Ilan University in 2026. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2024 and 2025.

Personal life

Milei is unmarried, and, while he was a presidential candidate, said that, if elected, he would have his sister take the role of First Lady of Argentina. However, in December 2023, after winning the presidency, he announced that his government would not have a first lady. He called the role "anachronistic", and declared that this decision was taken after discussions with both his sister and his girlfriend, actress Fátima Flórez. Milei originally announced he was dating Fátima Florez in August 2023. Previously, he dated singer Daniela Mori.

While raised Catholic, Milei had been critical of the Catholic Church under Pope Francis, and his disparaging comments about Francis attracted criticism from Catholics. Conversely, Milei would later embrace Francis after meeting him, stating in a Retequattro interview, "I had to reconsider some positions, and starting from that moment, we began to build a positive relationship." Milei also reads the Torah daily, and has visited the grave of Orthodox rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Before November 2023, Milei said he had contemplated converting to Judaism, but that observing the Jewish Sabbath could pose challenges if he became president. Upon being elected president, it was reported that Milei intended to convert to Judaism. Milei has confessed that he professes a "fanaticism" for Judaism.

Milei owns five cloned English Mastiffs, their progenitor being Conan, who died in 2017 after suffering from spinal cancer. He considers Conan his son (a form of pet humanization), and has named four of Conan's six clones, including one named after the original and another named Angelito, Milton (in honor of Milton Friedman), Murray (in honor of Murray Rothbard), Robert, and Lucas (both named after Robert Lucas, Jr.). Milei said that he cloned Conan because he understands cloning as "a way of approaching eternity". To do this, he went to a clinic in the United States. The process cost him about $50,000. He has called his dogs his "four-legged children", and thanked them after his electoral win. Milei commented that one day, there was a fire at his building, while he was watching TV, which he realized because Conan made for the balcony. He escaped with him, using the emergency ladder, and took him to the vet, who gave oxygen to Milei because he was developing symptoms of cyanosis.

Milei is an avid fan of association football. Albeit having played for Chacarita Juniors in his early adulthood, he has stated to be a supporter of Boca Juniors; in a 2024 interview with Radio Mitre, Milei said, "I am a member and fan of Boca. If investment groups come and put a fortune for us to win all the time, where do I sign?" However, he has expressed criticism of the presidency of Juan Román Riquelme at the club since 2023, stating that his "management at Boca is a disaster", and referred to Riquelme as "a Kirchnerist running the club". Milei is a huge fan of the English rock band The Rolling Stones.

Electoral history

Publications

Books

— (2014). Lecturas de Economía en tiempos de Kirchnerismo [Economic Readings in Times of Kirchnerism] (in Spanish). Grupo Unión. ISBN 978-987-3773-00-6.

— (2014). Política Económica Contrarreloj [Economic Politics Against the Clock] (in Spanish). Ediciones Barbarroja. ISBN 978-987-45133-2-8.

— (2015). El retorno al sendero de la decadencia Argentina [The Return to the Road of Argentine Decadence] (in Spanish). Grupo Unión. ISBN 978-987-3677-18-2.

—; Giacomini, Diego (2016). Maquinita, Infleta y Devaluta [Money Printer, Inflation and Devaluation] (in Spanish). Grupo Unión. ISBN 978-987-3677-44-1.

— (2017). Otra vez sopa: maquinita, infleta y devaluta: ensayos de economía monetaria para el caso argentino [Soup Again: Money Printer, Inflation, and Devaluation. Monetary Economy Essays for the Argentine Case] (in Spanish). Ediciones B, Grupo Zeta. ISBN 978-987-627-814-0.

— (2018). Desenmascarando la mentira Keynesiana. Keynes, Friedman y el triunfo de la Escuela Austriaca [Unmasking the Keynesian Lie: Keynes, Friedman, and the Triumph of the Austrian School] (in Spanish). Grupo Unión. ISBN 978-84-7209-727-8.

—; Giacomini, Diego (2019). Libertad, libertad, libertad [Liberty, Liberty, Liberty] (in Spanish). Galerna. ISBN 978-950-556-739-3.

— (2020). Pandenomics. La economía que viene en tiempos de megarrecesión, inflación y crisis global [Pandenomics: The Coming Economy in Times of Mega Recession, Inflation, and Global Crisis] (in Spanish). Galerna. ISBN 978-950-556-779-9.

— (2022). El camino del libertario [The Path of the Libertarian] (in Spanish). Planeta Argentina. ISBN 978-950-49-7456-7.

— (2023). El fin de la inflación. Eliminar el Banco Central, terminar con la estafa del impuesto inflacionario y volver a ser un país en serio [The End of Inflation: Eliminate the Central Bank, End the Inflation Tax Scam, and Return to Being a Serious Country] (in Spanish). Planeta Argentina. ISBN 978-950-498-171-8.

Journal articles

— (January 2004). "Real Exchange Rate Targeting. ¿Trilema monetario o control de capitales? La política fiscal" [Real Exchange Rate Targeting: Monetary Trilemma or Capital Control? Tax Policy]. Revista de Economía y Estadística (in Spanish). 42 (2). National University of Córdoba, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Institute of Economics and Finance: 63–87. doi:10.55444/2451.7321.2004.v42.n2.3807. ISSN 0034-8066. S2CID 154116264.

— (2014). "De los picapiedras a los supersónicos. Maravillas del progreso tecnológico con convergencia" [From the Flintstones to the Jetsons: Wonders of Technological Progress with Convergence]. Revista Actualidad Económica (in Spanish) (83). National University of Córdoba, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Institute of Economics and Finance: 5–18.

—; with Diego Giacomini (2017). "Ensayos monetarios para economías Abiertas. El caso argentino" [Monetary Essays for Open Economies: The Argentine Case]. Revista Actualidad Económica (in Spanish) (91). National University of Córdoba, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Institute of Economics and Finance: 5–24.