# Milei replaces scandal-hit Adorni with veteran politician Santilli as Argentina's cabinet chief
> Manuel Adorni resigned June 27 under investigation for illicit enrichment, and Milei pivoted to Diego Santilli, a seasoned PRO operative from the Macri wing, signalling a shift from the libertarian's anti-politics brand toward congressional dealmaking.

**Meta:** type: event · date: 2026-06-29 · heads: 누가 결정하는가, 그들이 말하지 않는 것 · 4 takes · 3 lenses · 2 regions

## Summary

Manuel Adorni, [Javier Milei](/ko/entity/person/javier-milei)'s cabinet chief and media face, resigned on June 27, 2026 under federal investigation for illicit enrichment. Adorni had admitted earlier in June to hiding roughly US$500,000 from his asset declarations, contradicting sworn congressional testimony, then claimed he was saving "in black like everyone else." The resignation ended a prolonged crisis that had embarrassed a government built on the anti-casta promise. Milei named Interior Minister Diego Santilli as replacement within hours. Santilli, a career PRO politician and former ally of ex-president Mauricio Macri, is the fourth cabinet chief under Milei in 18 months. He is scheduled to be sworn in on June 30. Milei said he chose Santilli explicitly for his ability to manage provincial governors and a Congress where the administration's legislative agenda has stalled.

## Why it matters

The switch from the ideologically pure, camera-friendly Adorni to a deal-making centrist from the PRO establishment marks the clearest acknowledgment yet that [Argentina](/ko/entity/country/argentina)'s reform programme needs congressional coalitions Milei's own party cannot provide alone. It also reopens the question of how durable the Milei-Macri alliance is and whether Santilli is a bridge or a counterweight to the libertarian agenda.

## What to watch
- Whether Santilli delivers a budget majority before the October mid-term elections.
- How the illicit enrichment case against Adorni proceeds in federal court.
- Whether Milei's approval ratings recover after the scandal, or whether the Adorni episode sticks as the defining image of the administration's ethics.

## Regional takes (batched by bias / lens)

### financial press; focus on Milei's strategic turn toward political negotiation with governors and Congress
- **Bloomberg** (United States, en) — Published June 29, framing the appointment as Milei admitting he needs a traditional political operator after Adorni's corruption scandal undercut the anti-casta brand. Noted that Santilli, a career PRO politician and former Buenos Aires senator, is the fourth cabinet chief under Milei in roughly 18 months, and that Milei said he wanted someone who can manage governors and Congress, where his legislative agenda has stalled.
  > "Milei taps lifetime politician Santilli to lead cabinet after Adorni scandal."
  Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-06-29/milei-taps-lifetime-politician-santilli-to-lead-cabinet-after-adorni-scandal

### English-language Argentine daily; detailed timeline of Adorni resignation and Santilli swearing-in
- **Buenos Aires Times** (Argentina, en) — Reported that Adorni resigned June 27 blaming media 'persecution' rather than the illicit enrichment investigation, and that Milei named Santilli by Sunday. Swearing-in was set for Tuesday June 30 at 4 p.m. Noted Santilli is a former Buenos Aires City security minister, senator, and congressman who formally joined Milei's La Libertad Avanza in November 2025.
  > "Adorni resigns, blames media and clears path for Santilli."
  Source: https://batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/milei-confirms-santilli-as-new-cabinet-chief-after-adorni-exit.phtml

### unlabelled
- **US News & World Report** (United States, en) — 
  Source: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-06-27/argentina-cabinet-chief-resigns-after-corruption-allegations
- **Buenos Aires Herald** (Argentina, en) — 
  Source: https://buenosairesherald.com/politics/milei-names-diego-santilli-chief-of-staff-after-adorni-scandal

## Across the graph
- Related: [[milei-adorni-patrimonio-scandal]], [[milei-imf-second-review]], [[milei-libra-pfa-forensics]]
- Entities: Person:javier Milei, Country:argentina

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