Former President Donald Trump met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on March 8 at the likely Republican presidential nominee’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, with the former president praising Mr. Orban as a “fantastic leader” and the Hungarian conservative referring to President Trump as someone who can bring peace.
Over the past several years, President Trump and Mr. Orban on numerous occasions have directed words of praise toward each other, with the former president describing the Hungarian leader as a key figure in the worldwide conservative movement.
Mr. Orban was given a tour of the Trump residence and took part in an hour-long meeting with senior aides.
President Trump and Mr. Orban met “to discuss a wide range of issues affecting Hungary and the United States, including the paramount importance of strong and secure borders to protect the sovereignty of each nation,” the Trump campaign said in a readout of the meeting.
Mr. Orban is admired by many conservatives in the United States for his tough immigration policies and his ardent defense of national sovereignty.
President Trump singled out Mr. Orban’s tough immigration policies for praise in a post on social media after the meeting.
“Hungary is a Safe Country because of his Strong Immigration Policies, and as long as he is in charge, it always will be,” he said in a post on Truth Social.
Mr. Orban has faced criticism in some circles for his self-proclaimed illiberal tendencies, close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and his opposition to Western funding for the Ukraine war.
‘Fantastic Leader’
President Trump joked about the criticism that Mr. Orban has faced for his supposed authoritarian inclinations in a brief speech, a video of which was shared on social media by the Hungarian leader.Mr. Orban “is a non-controversial figure because he says, ‘this is the way it’s going to be,’ and that’s the end of it,” President Trump said, drawing laughter from the room full of attendees at his Florida resort.
“Right? He’s the boss,“ President Trump continued, before adding in a more serious tone, ”No—he’s a great leader, fantastic leader.”
Mr. Orban took to X to express the view that a second Trump presidency would contribute to world peace.Meanwhile, President Joe Biden had harsh words of criticism over the Trump–Orban meeting.
“You know who he’s meeting with today down in Mar-a-Lago? Orban of Hungary, who’s stated flatly that he doesn’t thinks democracy works, he’s looking for dictatorship,” President Biden said during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania on March 8.
“I see a future where we defend democracy, not diminish it,” he added.
‘Bring Us Peace’
In May 2023, the Hungarian leader spoke to Republicans and European allies at the second annual meeting of the Conservative Political Action Coalition (CPAC) Europe in Budapest, Hungary.During his prepared remarks, Mr. Orban claimed there wouldn’t be a military conflict in Eastern Europe if President Trump were in office.
“I’m sure if President Trump would be the president, there would be no war in Ukraine and Europe,” Mr. Orban said at the time. “Come back, Mr. President. Make America great again and bring us peace.”
Mr. Orban has called Hungary an “incubator” where experiments on the future of conservative policies are carried out.
Hungary is the place where we didn’t just talk about defeating the progressives and liberals and causing a conservative Christian political turn; we actually did it,” Mr. Orban said.
He also decried liberalism as a “virus,” criticized “woke culture,” and rejected the “LGBTQ lobby.”
Mr. Orban has faced a torrent of criticism in some circles over his various positions, including with respect to Ukraine.
The Hungarian leader has said he believes Kyiv can’t win the war and that the best way to resolve the conflict is to pursue an immediate ceasefire after negotiations.
Mr. Orban has been a fierce critic of Western arms shipments to Ukraine, arguing that it only serves to prolong the war, leading to more devastation of Ukraine and loss of life.
