Hungarian–American relations have hit a new low following a scandalous statement made by US President Joe Biden, prompting Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó to summon US Ambassador David Pressman.
Following Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s meeting with former US President Donald Trump in Florida last Friday Joe Biden remarked at a campaign event: ‘You know who he’s [Trump] meeting with today down at Mar-a-Lago? Orbán of Hungary, who stated flatly he doesn’t think democracy works, he’s looking for dictatorship. That’s who he’s meeting with.’
Biden’s statement is evidently false, as Viktor Orbán has never made such a remark. It is understandable that the Hungarian government found it outrageous for an ally to criticize the prime minister in such a manner. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Péter Szijjártó stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade had summoned US Ambassador David Pressman asking him to indicate the precise quote, including the place and date, where the prime minister allegedly made the statement attributed to him by Joe Biden. ‘Obviously, no such thing was said, so we cannot receive a substantive response to our questions,’ Szijjártó underlined.
The Hungarian FM emphasized that
the official US position, suggesting Hungary is building a dictatorship, severely strains bilateral relations.
He highlighted that the prime minister and the government are not in power as a result of a lottery draw, but rather by the will of the people.
FM Szijjártó recalled that the current governing parties have won four consecutive democratic elections, indicating that the people have decided on the direction of government. He stressed that the government is committed to implementing this direction, as failing to do so would risk losing re-election. ‘This is a fundamental aspect of democracy,’ he underlined.
Hungary’s relations with the United States have deteriorated significantly since the Democratic administration, led by Joe Biden, assumed power in the White House in 2021. Ambassador David Pressman consistently criticizes the Hungarian government, interferes in Hungary’s internal affairs, and aligns himself with the usual left-wing narrative in his attacks on PM Viktor Orbán. Relations reached an unprecedented low point last April following Pressman’s announcement that Washington had placed Imre Laszlóczki, then Vice-President of the International Investment Bank, on a sanctions list.
In an interview following his visit to the US Viktor Orbán stated that Hungarian–American relations are strained, and with the current US administration, there is no way to progress the relationship. According to PM Orbán the reason behind this is Washington’s pro-war stance, which contrasts with Budapest’s pro-peace position. The Prime Minister also expressed that a potential victory for Donald Trump in the November presidential election could significantly enhance the relations between the two allies.
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