Trump Finds His Next Strongman BFF: Orbán Gets Sanctions Relief
While the Times focuses on the 'reprieve,' it conveniently sidesteps the decades of U.S. foreign policy that has consistently empowered autocratic leaders when it suits American interests—a tradition that long predates Trump. Orbán, who has openly praised 'illiberal democracy,' has systematically undermined judicial independence, free press, and LGBTQ+ rights in Hungary. Yet, when he meets with a
former (and potentially future) U.S. President, these inconvenient truths become mere footnotes, swept away by photo ops and 'shared visions.' One might wonder, how many press freedoms need to vanish before the 'democratic values' rhetoric starts to sound like a bad joke? This isn't about 'realpolitik' as much as it is about ideological alignment. Trump sees a kindred spirit in Orbán's nationalist
rhetoric and his disdain for the very institutions that hold power accountable. It's less a foreign policy strategy and more of an affirmation that strongman rule, when branded correctly, is perfectly acceptable. The 'rules-based order' always seems to have exceptions written in fine print for those who share the right kind of authoritarian tendencies.