Javier Milei Cabinet Chief Manuel Adorni Resigns Amid Spending Scandal Investigation

Argentine President Javier Milei has suffered a political setback after Cabinet Chief Manuel Adorni resigned following mounting scrutiny over his finances and personal spending, triggering fresh pressure on the government as it battles declining public approval.

Adorni, one of Milei’s closest allies, announced his resignation on Saturday through a letter posted on X. He had served as Milei’s spokesperson after the president took office in December 2023 before being appointed cabinet chief in November last year.

“For the first time since December 10, 2023, I am going against your wishes,” Adorni wrote in his resignation letter addressed to Milei. “I am closing this chapter. I leave peacefully and serenely, but above all, with a clear conscience.”

The resignation comes as Adorni faces investigations into alleged illicit enrichment. Authorities are examining whether his reported expenses align with his declared income after questions emerged over several high-profile family trips, including a first-class vacation to Aruba during Christmas and a private jet flight to Uruguay for Carnival celebrations.

Adorni has consistently denied any wrongdoing, insisting that he accumulated his wealth before entering public office and that all family travel was financed with private funds.

“I haven’t committed any crime and I’m going to show that in court,” he told lawmakers during an address to Congress in late April.

Earlier this month, however, Adorni admitted in an interview with La Nacion that he had kept undeclared savings for years, describing the practice as common among Argentines. He said he had since amended his 2023 and 2024 financial declarations to include roughly $500,000 in previously unreported assets.

“The mea culpa I do is for having dragged an involuntary mistake, and I am going to pay everything that corresponds,” Adorni said.

President Milei had publicly defended his longtime confidant in May, telling La Nacion that there was “no way” Adorni would leave the government and insisting he would not “execute an innocent person.”

The resignation adds to growing political challenges for Milei, whose administration has recently faced allegations of corruption involving government officials while many Argentines continue to struggle with declining purchasing power despite easing inflation. Public support for the president has also weakened. According to a May survey by Opina Argentina, 39% of voters now hold a positive view of Milei, down significantly from his 53% approval rating recorded more than a year earlier.

Adorni’s departure marks one of the most significant political losses for Milei’s administration and is expected to intensify scrutiny of the government as Argentina continues implementing sweeping economic reforms.