Milei's New Media Rules: 'Mute Button' for Reporters

Argentina's presidency said it is considering asking voters to decide which journalists should cover President Javier Milei's events and is also mulling a "mute" button to silence overly persistent reporters.

Asked on Wednesday about reports that the presidency was considering a "mute" button in the press room, Milei's spokesman Manuel Adorni initially denied it, then said, half-jokingly, that it "wouldn't be bad."

"When you go a bit too far I would press the button, especially when you don't want to hand over the mic," he said.

"When you repeat your question so many times your own colleagues feel you're taking time away from them, it wouldn't be a bad thing," he added.

Adopting a more serious tone, he confirmed Milei's administration was planning "some changes" to press access at the presidential place.

For example, he said, "we are thinking about a system where journalists (from the presidential press pool) are elected by the people."

A vote, he said, would ensure "that people feel represented."

On Wednesday evening, he returned to the theme on the social network X, asking: "Who would you like to see leave the (press) room? Who would you like to see in it? Coming soon."

The proposals have drawn comparisons with plans by President Donald Trump, who like Milei has an extremely adversarial relationship with the press, to shake up media access to the White House.

Last month, the White House said that the future it would decide which journalists to accredit to cover Trump's events -- and not the independent association of media outlets that has done so for around a century.

Accusing traditional media of "lies," Trump's spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt also announced plans to add a seat for "new media" in the White House briefing room.

Like Trump, the libertarian Milei has made a point of bypassing traditional media to communicate directly with voters on social media, where his message is amplified by an army of trolls.

In his 15 months in power he hasn't given a single press conference.