US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman completed his tenure on 14 January, leaving Hungary after just over two years. His departure marks the beginning of a new chapter in US–Hungarian relations. Despite his claims of wanting to strengthen bilateral ties, Pressman’s actions—often resembling those of a political activist rather than a diplomat—have left a divisive legacy in Hungary that will likely be remembered and its consequences felt for years to come.
Pressman bid farewell to Hungary in two ‘emotional’ posts on Monday. ‘It has been an honor to represent the United States of America at an extraordinary moment in history with so much at stake in our relationship,’ he wrote in one post, which included a video montage. Well, much was at stake in the relationship indeed, but many in Hungary feel the ambassador only made matter worse. For quite a few Hungarians his tenure symbolized interference rather than diplomacy.
Of course, Pressman’s farewell video could not resist delivering one final blow to the Hungarian government. The video features various clips of his speeches in which he criticizes the Hungarian government’s policies, including its stance on the war in Ukraine, its relations to Russia and so on. ‘Thank you for welcoming me into your nation and into your homes. Until we meet again,’ Pressman concluded. If we wanted to be ruthless, we would say we hope that day never comes, but we will refrain from that, and only wish Mr Pressman the best of luck with his future endeavours.
Under the farewell post, several commenters highlighted Pressman’s true character. Head of the Centre for European Studies at MCC Budapest Rodrigo Ballester described Pressman as the ‘very worst ambassador’, noting that he behaved more like a ‘sectarian activist, a usurper’ than a diplomat.
Bryan Leib, one of the potential candidates for Pressman’s now-vacant post, also shared his views in the comments section. ‘This man just can’t help himself as he continues to take shots at the Orbán government while saying “until we meet again.” I have a feeling that David Pressman will never step foot inside Hungary ever again in his life,’ he wrote.
Leib, echoing Rodrigo Ballester, criticized Pressman’s flawed political activism, emphasizing that there is no doubt US–Hungarian relations will take a positive turn following Donald Trump’s inauguration. ‘Jön a változás!’ Leib concluded in Hungarian at the end of his post, meaning ‘The change is coming.’
As noted above, Pressman’s legacy in Hungary will be, unfortunately, long remembered—not for fostering US–Hungarian relations, but for undermining them. From the outset, it was clear that Pressman’s mandate in Hungary would be defined by hostility rather than cooperation. During his brief tenure the United States imposed several sanctions targeting Hungarian officials. Among the first to be sanctioned were Imre Laszlóczki, former Hungarian ambassador to Azerbaijan, and a senior official of the Budapest-based Russian International Investment Bank (IIB). Most recently, in an unprecedented and controversial move, Viktor Orbán’s Chief of Staff, Antal Rogán, was added to the sanctions list.
Pressman consistently criticized the Hungarian government’s policies, while the US Embassy, under his leadership, engaged in smear campaigns against Viktor Orbán, attacked Hungary through paid advertisements, and spread false narratives. Furthermore, during his tenure, Washington unilaterally terminated the double taxation agreement between the two countries, further straining relations.
But that’s all in the past. With Pressman’s departure, a new chapter in US–Hungarian relations is beginning—one expected to bring positive outcomes for both countries, grounded in mutual respect and cooperation.
While Pressman’s successor has yet to be announced, Bryan Leib, the apparent frontrunner, has already expressed his readiness to step into the role and repair the damage caused during Pressman’s tenure. ‘I have nothing more to say other than it would be the honor of a lifetime to serve President @realDonaldTrump in Budapest in any capacity, and that he can count on me to carry out his America First agenda while bringing respect-based diplomacy back to our bilateral alliance with Hungary,’ Leib stated in a recent post on X.
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