All posts tagged "Hungary"

A foreign minister accused of a slew of crimes, including stealing from a fund for crime victims, was able to flee his country with the help of a Trump official, according to a new report.

Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro faces more than two dozen charges in his country related to alleged misuse of funds for political gain, according to reporting by Reuters. He was a member of Poland's right-wing nationalist Law and Justice Party.

Ziobro originally fled his country in 2025 to live in Hungary, where the Trump-endorsed authoritarian former Prime Minister Viktor Orban gave him asylum. Soon after Orban lost his election in April to a pro-EU rival, Ziobro came to the U.S. in May, per reporting by Reuters. ...

The New York Times editorial board had a message Tuesday on what it takes to defeat Trumpism — and authoritarianism — as midterms approach.

The editors described how the landslide defeat of Viktor Orban by Peter Magyar in Hungary should inspire Americans hoping to see change in the United States amid President Donald Trump's tumultuous second administration. They outlined the different ways opposing candidates could identify vulnerabilities for Trump and his regime using Magyar as an example of how to defeat autocratic rule and apply "an American version of this strategy."

By talking directly about Orban's 16 years in power and the stagnant living standards in Hungary, Magyar saw the opportunity to give voters a new promise: reliable medical care, a secure family life and retirement. He said that political connections shouldn't matter and used the frustrations people were feeling to lay out his plan. He campaigned in rural areas of the country, adopted an even harsher immigration policy and distanced himself from a Pride march and LGBTQ issues, and although the editorial board did not agree with all of his maneuvers, it did recommend other politicians look closely at the strategy. ...

Vice President JD Vance was hit by an on-stage embarrassment Tuesday as he dialed President Donald Trump for a live chat in front of hundreds — and was sent to voicemail.

Trump's right-hand man was in Budapest for a rally for Hungary's autocratic Prime Minister Viktor Orban — when he offered to put the president on speakerphone.

Appearing before a crowd at the Day of Friendship event at MTK Sportpark, Vance announced he had a surprise guest. "I actually had a special guest that asked that I give him a phone call," he said, dialing his phone. ...

In a passionate New York Times opinion piece, Former Ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman, wrote that watching Donald Trump gives him flashbacks to his old job where he watched autocratic strongman Viktor Orban rise to power.

But he reserved his real vitriol not for Trump, but for the "elites" that he saw in both countries standing on the sidelines and failing to act.

Pressman drew parallels between the tactics of Trump and Orban before asking, "Does the way Americans are responding feel familiar, too?" ...

Strongman Viktor Orbán's Hungary stood fast in it support of President Donald Trump Wednesday, becoming the only European nation voting against imposing reciprocal trade tariffs, according to new reporting in Politico.

The other 26 countries in the European Union voted to retaliate with 25% tariffs on some $23 billion of U.S. products. Politico reported that 14 EU countries would have needed to vote against the retaliation, "which had been seen as unlikely considering the shows of unity in recent weeks."

After the vote, the European Commission said in a statement, "The E.U. considers U.S. tariffs unjustified and damaging, causing economic harm to both sides, as well as the global economy. The E.U. has stated its clear preference to find negotiated outcomes with the U.S., which would be balanced and mutually beneficial."...

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin on his re-election. Orban's spokesman Bertalan Havasi released the message on Thursday, the Hungarian state news agency MTI reported. Orbán wrote that it was gratifying that "the cooperation between Hungary and Russia is based on mutual respect, which makes it possible to discuss important issues in the current difficult geopolitical situation." Referring to Russia's war against Ukraine, Orbán wrote that Hungary is "on the side of peace" and is convinced that maintaining dialogue is a prerequisite for its ......