Written By Lisa Murimi
On Thursday night, former U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
This meeting marks the latest in a series of encounters between the two leaders, further cementing their political alliance.
Orbán, who recently met with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has publicly endorsed Trump’s re-election bid. He expressed optimism about Trump’s chances, stating there was a “very, very high chance” President Joe Biden would lose the upcoming election. Orbán described his visit to Trump as “peace mission 5.0,” tweeting that they discussed ways to achieve peace, adding, “The good news of the day: he’s going to solve it!”
Despite facing criticism in Europe for his pro-Russian stance, Orbán remains popular among Trump supporters and U.S. conservatives. He has also met with China’s Xi Jinping and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky as part of a self-described “peace” initiative. Russian media speculated that Orbán might share information gathered with Trump’s team.
Orbán praised Trump as a “self-made man” with a unique approach, suggesting that a Trump victory would benefit global politics. He highlighted Trump’s non-interventionist record, stating, “He is a man of peace… he did a lot to create peace in very complicated areas of the world.”
Currently, Hungary holds the presidency of the European Union, and Orbán has criticized the Biden administration for its handling of the Ukraine conflict, advocating for new leadership to provide fresh opportunities. Orbán was the first EU leader to back Trump in 2016 and has strengthened ties through the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Hungary.
In a March meeting with Trump, Orbán emphasized the need for respected leaders who can bring peace, and in April, Trump sent a supportive message to CPAC Hungary, praising Orbán as “a great man.” Orbán has championed an “illiberal democracy” in Hungary, opposing progressive movements and advocating for conservative values.
