After his overwhelming electoral victory in 2022, Viktor Orban, who was re-elected for a fourth consecutive term, is seen as a ‘model’ by many on the American far-right due to his tough immigration policies, support for families, and Christian conservatism.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed readiness to renew his conservative alliance with Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban in a video message released on Friday. According to analysts, Trump’s reelection as the Republican Party’s candidate could potentially ease tensions along the Budapest-Washington axis.
Relations have been strained due to Budapest’s close dialogue with Moscow and Hungary’s delay in endorsing Sweden’s NATO membership. In his video message, Trump stated, “As the 47th President of the United States, I eagerly look forward to working closely once again with Prime Minister Orban. The Hungarian leader is a great person.”
Trump praised Orban, saying, “As President, I was proud to work with Prime Minister Orban to advance the values and interests of both nations. He’s a great person. We stopped illegal immigration, secured our borders, created jobs, and defended our traditions and Judeo-Christian values.”
Trump’s message was broadcasted during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Budapest’s third event of this kind, considered a leading conservative gathering in the U.S. political landscape. CPAC hosts various events such as political debates, strategy sessions, panels, speeches, and booths, bringing together representatives from the conservative wing of the Republican Party.
Unlike previous American administrations that accused the Orban government of restricting democratic freedoms such as press freedom and judicial independence, Trump’s presidency saw closer relations between the U.S. and Hungary.
Following their meeting in March in Florida, Orban emerged as one of Trump’s closest allies in Europe. After the meeting, Orban endorsed the former president and made a comment suggesting that only Trump’s return to the White House could bring peace to Ukraine.
During his speech at CPAC on Thursday, Prime Minister Orban reminded attendees that 2024 would be a year of global elections and warned conservative forces to work towards ending “liberal hegemony.” He stated, “These elections coincide with significant shifts in world political and geopolitical trends. The world order is changing, and we must lead our cause to victory amid these changes. Liberals feel the danger. Changing this period means changing them.”
Encouraging Trump to defend his own truth in ongoing lawsuits, Orban stated, “If necessary, they will use state institutions against us. As my American friends say, ‘weaponizing state institutions’… This is what constantly happens to us Hungarians in Brussels. In America, what happened to President Trump is also happening, and we encourage him to fight for his truths not only in elections but also in courts.”
The upcoming European Parliament elections and local elections in Hungary may pose the toughest challenge yet to Orban’s 14-year rule, as the country’s economy is in recession. Moreover, a harassment scandal has rocked the foundation of the family values platform, revealing that Hungarian President Katalin Novak, a close associate of Orban, pardoned a former children’s home director convicted as an accomplice in a child sexual abuse case.
Despite these negative developments, Orban’s Fidesz party continues to be the most popular political party in Hungary.
