Biden Admin’s Final Gambit: Hungary PM’s Chief of Staff Hit with Sanctions

Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Hungary Antal Rogán in 2022.
Zoltán Balogh/MTI
Antal Rogán, the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Hungary, has been placed on the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list, in the last two weeks of the incumbent Biden administration. US–Hungary relations have severely soured under President Biden.

Antal Rogán, Chief of Staff to Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, has been added to the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list, escalating tensions between Washington and Budapest. The designation was made under the Global Magnitsky Sanctions Program, which targets individuals accused of human rights abuses or corruption.

The press release by the UST specifies the reason as the latter, alleged corruption, despite Rogán never being charged, let alone convicted, of corruption in any jurisdiction.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) now lists Rogán among 12 entities tied to Hungary. Unlike others on the list, Rogán is a high-ranking official in Prime Minister Orbán’s administration, making this move particularly consequential. Sanctions can include freezing assets and prohibiting financial dealings with U.S. entities. However, the OFAC database does not specify the exact reasons for Rogán’s inclusion.

The timing of the decision has drawn attention. In the dying embers of the Biden administration, the sanctions are seen as a sharp rebuke of Orbán’s government, with whom relations have soured. President Joe Biden has previously criticized Orbán’s nationalist policies, but critics argue the decision to sanction Rogán may have been orchestrated by Treasury officials rather than the president himself.

The sanctions may prove to be short-lived. Incoming President Donald Trump, who takes office in just two weeks, has a history of warm relations with Orbán. The Hungarian leader has visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate multiple times, and Trump has spoken favourably of Orbán during public appearances. Observers predict Rogán could be swiftly removed from the sanctions list under the new administration.

‘The sanctions may prove to be short-lived’

Outgoing US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman also played a controversial role in the deteriorating bilateral ties. Known for his outspoken critiques of Hungary’s domestic and foreign policies, Pressman’s tenure has been marked by diplomatic tension. A replacement ambassador has yet to be announced, but analysts suggest the Trump administration will likely appoint someone with a more conciliatory approach, such as Bryan Leib, a Senior Fellow at the Center for Fundamental Rights and a vocal supporter of closer US–Hungarian ties.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó of Hungary has reacted to the developments in a Facebook post.

‘This is an act of personal revenge by the Ambassador sent to Hungary by the failed US administration…against Antal Rogán. How nice that in a few days’ time the United States will be led by people who see our country as a friend and not an enemy,’ he wrote; and shared a picture with himself next to Rogán alongside the message as well.

This development underscores the fraught state of bilateral relations during Biden’s presidency and sets the stage for potential shifts under Trump’s return to the White House. The handling of Rogán’s sanctions could serve as an early test of the incoming administration’s foreign policy priorities in Eastern Europe.


Related articles:

David Pressman Announces Sanctions During Short Press Conference
Pressman’s Farewell: A Slew of Biased Accusations and Falsehoods

Antal Rogán, the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Hungary, has been placed on the US Treasury Department’s sanctions list, in the last two weeks of the incumbent Biden administration. US–Hungary relations have severely soured under President Biden.

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