Orban Meets Trump: Strongmen Unite, Democracy Not Invited
The story from Al Jazeera treats the meeting between Hungarian strongman Viktor Orban and Donald Trump as a simple diplomatic affair, focused on oil deals. What they're carefully _not_ emphasizing is the warm embrace between a burgeoning authoritarian in Europe—who recently dissolved democratic institutions and consolidated power—and a former US President who has openly admired such tactics. This
isn't about 'Russian oil'; it's about a tacit endorsement of anti-democratic practices. When US presidents, current or former, meet with leaders who systematically dismantle press freedom, control the judiciary, and target NGOs, it sends a clear message: 'democracy' is a virtue only applied selectively, particularly when it suits the 'America First' agenda. One might wonder if the conversation
will even touch on the 65 media outlets Orban's party controls, or Human Rights Watch's accusations of judicial interference. Perhaps Al Jazeera will cover that next year. Or not.