Former U.S. President Donald Trump voiced his full support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at a Budapest CPAC conference, criticizing the European Union’s leadership.
Trump Expresses Support for Orbán
Donald Trump declared his “full and complete” support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in a video message played at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Budapest. He lauded Orbán as a “strong leader” defending Hungary’s borders, culture, heritage, sovereignty, and values.
Trump also thanked Hungarian organizers of CPAC for their commitment to “common sense and conservative principles” and the shared civilization of Americans, Hungarians, and Europeans, stating that their countries are “pointing the way to a revitalized West.”
Orbán Declares Victory and Criticizes Brussels
Viktor Orbán, opening the conference, expressed confidence in winning the upcoming April elections and vowed to continue fighting for national control over Europe’s future, asserting that Europe’s destiny should be decided by European nations, not bureaucrats.
Orbán stated that a victory for his bloc on April 12 would not only protect Hungary but also “break down the progressive gates of Brussels.”
Hungary’s Economic Challenges and Political Position
Reports indicate Hungary faces economic challenges, characterized by an oligarchic model, discouragement of investors, and limited opportunities for young companies, resulting in its decline as a regional economic leader.
Orbán Positions Hungary as a Conservative Bastion
Orbán claimed Hungary has been under pressure from Western progressive forces in Brussels through sanctions and from Ukraine through oil blockade. He described Hungary as the “strongest bastion of national conservative forces” within the European Union for the past 16 years.
He warned that overcoming this bastion would be the “greatest victory” for progressives, framing the upcoming battle as one not only for Hungary but for control within Brussels.
Brussels Blamed for Economic Failure and Shift in Focus
Orbán accused Brussels of leading Europe to its greatest economic failure and prioritizing Ukraine over Europe itself.
He characterized Western civilization as undergoing its largest political reorganization in a century, with the epicenter in the U.S. and Hungary serving as a “foothold in Europe,” stating they are “fighting for the soul of the Western world.”
Rightward Shifts in South America Noted
Orbán highlighted right-wing shifts in South America, mentioning Rodrigo Paz in Bolivia, José Antonio Kast in Chile, and Javier Milei in Argentina, calling Milei a “global rock star of Western values.”
CPAC’s Growing Conservative Influence
CPAC, a long-standing conservative conference in the U.S., has become increasingly dominated by Trump supporters in recent years, with events now held in other countries, including Hungary for the fifth time.
Attendees included former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobachidze, and Santiago Abascal, leader of the Spanish right-wing Vox party.
Concerns Raised Over Russian Influence
Daria Bojarska, sanctioned by Poland in 2022, is now leading an OSCE observation mission in Hungary, with Russian delegates within the organization suspected of acting as agents for the Kremlin.
