President Joe Biden didn’t mince words in his criticism of former President Donald Trump’s cozy meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at Mar-a-Lago. Orban, known for his advocacy of “illiberal democracy,” which essentially undermines democratic principles, has been a beacon for the Trump-aligned faction.
During a campaign stop in Pennsylvania, Biden expressed his concerns, stating, “You know who he’s meeting with today down in Mar-a-Lago? Orban of Hungary, who’s stated flatly that he doesn’t think democracy works. He’s looking for dictatorship. I see a future where we defend democracy, not diminish it.”
Trump, who has consistently lauded Orban, continued his praise during the meeting, calling him “fantastic” and lauding his authoritative leadership style. The Trump campaign later stated that their discussions ranged from border security to bilateral issues affecting both nations.
Biden’s rebuke of Trump’s affinity for Orban follows his fiery State of the Union address, where he condemned Trump’s recent remarks about encouraging Russia to act as it pleases if NATO allies fail to meet their security obligations. Biden labeled such comments as “outrageous,” “dangerous,” and “unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, Orban has maintained his ties with Moscow and delayed a significant European Union aid package for Ukraine. Prior to his meeting with Trump, Orban expressed his belief that Trump’s return to power would bring peace, suggesting that had Trump been president during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, war could have been averted.
Orban’s endorsement of Trump isn’t new; he previously voiced similar sentiments at a Conservative Political Action Conference in Budapest, asserting that under Trump, there would have been no war in Ukraine. Beyond endorsing Trump, Orban also addressed the Heritage Foundation, a conservative institution that has shifted towards Trumpist populism, where he discussed themes of sovereignty and immigration.
In his remarks following the Heritage Foundation event, Orban emphasized the divide between globalists and sovereignty advocates in international politics, expressing satisfaction in finding like-minded allies in the U.S.
