Trump to meet with Hungary's leader, Viktor Orbán, continuing his embrace of autocrats
Former President Donald Trump is meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a conservative populist whose crackdowns in Hungary have sparked criticism that he's eroding that country's democracy
Former President Donald Trump on Friday is scheduled to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, as the likely Republican presidential nominee continues his embrace of autocratic leaders who are part of a global pushback against democratic traditions.
Orbán has become an icon to some conservative populists for championing what he calls “illiberal democracy,” replete with restrictions on immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. But he’s also cracked down on the press and judiciary in his country and rejiggered the country’s political system to keep his party in power while maintaining the closest relationship with Russia among all European Union countries.
In the U.S., Trump’s allies have embraced Orbán’s approach. On Thursday, as foreign dignitaries milled through Washington, D.C., ahead of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, Orbán skipped the White House and instead spoke at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank overseeing the 2025 Project, the effort to create a governing blueprint for Trump’s next term.
