Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister, yesterday met Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. Trump praised Orban as a great dictator, or something like that. Orban said Trump indicated he won't give a penny to Ukraine. Orban is not scheduled to meet with anyone in the Biden administration. They are both poised to join the president's for life club, now led by Vladimir Putin, Jinping Xi and Kim Jong Un. Actually, Viktor already is at their level.
On 5August2019, a year before the previous U.S. presidential election, it was scarily reported on how Trump might be scrutinizing Orban's playbook.
Trump borrowed his immigration policy from Orban, who fanned anti-migrant sentiment to gain political power in 2010 to dismantle Hungarian democracy.- Immigration is just a Trump's first step to establish an autocracy.
- Orban built a fence on the border with Serbia in 2015. Donald has his wall.
- Orban used bogus corruption charges to sideline political opponents. So did Trump, who purged 17,000 public officials.
In 2022, EuroNews reported:
- In 2012 Orban reworked the constitution.
- By 2018 he he shut down the independent media, only allowing friendly newspapers to print.
Since assuming power in 2010, Viktor Orbán and his Fidesz party have systematically dismantled the pillars of liberal democracy in Hungary, steering the nation toward what Orbán himself proudly labels as an “illiberal state.” This dangerous shift poses not just a domestic crisis for Hungary but also a significant challenge to the European Union, NATO, and, crucially, U.S. national security interests, especially in the context of the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine. Indeed, Orbán’s alignment with populist-nationalist leaders such as Robert Fico in Slovakia and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Turkey forms an illiberal triad that directly challenges the trans-Atlantic security order.
Orbán’s Hungary is a textbook case of democratic backsliding, characterized by state capture of public institutions; assaults on minority rights, especially migrant, Roma, and LGBTQ rights; aggressive nationalist rhetoric; and attacks on the rule of law.
To join NATO, the vote needs to be unanimous. Hungary refused to cooperate until on 23February2024 Orban met with Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and agreed to cooperate. The issue was on hold for a year and a half. Sweden is now the 32nd member of NATO.
So why did Donald Trump meet with Viktor Orban? The Donald wants to join the Presidents for Life Club. All he needs to do is beat Joe Biden on November 5.
Yesterday The Hill featured Ty Cobb, one of Donald Trump's White House attorneys. He said...
- ...that the facts are terrible in his multiple legal cases, and that it's probably been very difficult for him to navigate the various battles.
- To quote.
One, the facts are terrible. His conduct is reprehensible, and he’s the subject of 91 felony counts, four separate indictments and multiple civil cases. He’s lost almost half a billion dollars,” Cobb said. “So, it’s not like this is a smooth gliding ship.
- Pretty simple: if he loses to Biden, he's going to jail.
- Watch Cobb on CNN saying that Trump poses the greatest threat to democracy we've ever seen.
About the Academy Award ceremony last night:
- Oppenheimer dominated, with eight awards. Barbie got one, original song.
- John Cena presented the award for best costume design, seemingly nude. Well, he was actually wearing something called a modesty garment.
- Towards the very end, Jimmy Kimmel read from his smart phone criticism about how terrible he did as moderator...from The Donald himself, where Kimmel ended with, isn't it past your jail time? Worth a watch.
- Here are Jodie Foster with wife Alexandra Hedison. Jodie is wearing a satin Loewe gown.
- Finally, the latest in fashion. Ariana Grande supposedly wore a Giambattista Valli Haute Couture gown, but it really looked like a large pink comforter to me.
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