At the request of Special Counsel Jack Smith and his team on Monday, the election subversion case against Donald Trump was dismissed. Prosecutors also moved to dismiss the case concerning the alleged mishandling of classified documents. Additionally, Trump’s hush money case could be deferred until the end of his four-year term, marking significant legal victories for the president-elect.
It’s official! As expected, US Ambassador to Hungary David Pressman has announced his departure following Donald Trump’s victory. Pressman’s tenure will be remembered for his persistent criticism of the Hungarian government, and his exit may signal the start of a new chapter in Hungarian–American relations.
Balázs Orbán, the political director to the Hungarian prime minister, has penned a detailed opinion piece on the achievements of the Hungarian EU presidency thus far. And there have been plenty: the successful hosting of two Budapest summits, the adoption of the Budapest Declaration, and the expansion of the pro-peace camp—all of which Hungary has influenced directly or indirectly.
Hungarian Finance Minister Mihály Varga presented the government’s draft budget for next year to parliament on Monday. ‘The 2025 budget can be a budget for new opportunities, a budget for new economic policy, and a budget for peace,’ he emphasized in his speech.
The leaders of the EU Member States will convene in Budapest on Friday for an informal European Council meeting. While not much is known about the agenda, Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election is likely to significantly influence the mood and the priorities of the discussion.
‘Donald Trump’s sweeping election victory will reshape the European power landscape, catapulting Hungary from a state disdained by Washington, whose ambassador routinely and rudely lambasts his host country, into one of America’s most important allies. It is not good for Europe that it exists as a dependency on the American Empire, but that’s simply a fact. Now that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s good friend is about to return to the White House, Hungary gains the most powerful new ally imaginable in its dealings with its EU partners. The days of bullying Hungary are over.’
This week, the largest diplomatic event in Hungary’s history, the European Political Community (EPC) Summit, takes place in Budapest. The meeting will be unusual in several respects: the leaders of the states are convening just two days after the US presidential election, which could significantly influence the focus of the issues discussed.
The atmosphere surrounding Viktor Orbán’s visit to Georgia remains charged, with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson accusing the Hungarian Prime Minister of being pro-Russian. In response to this statement, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has summoned Sweden’s ambassador in Budapest.
The Patriots for Europe EP group held their first summit on Thursday in Brussels. The meeting was attended by all the leaders of the PfE parties and took place ahead of the European Council summit scheduled to discuss the war in Ukraine, migration, as well as key economic policies, all of which Hungary differs on with most member states.
‘Scholz’s statement is the first ray of light piercing the fog of war that has shrouded Europe for the past two years. It could be downplayed, but Germany remains one of the EU’s most influential member states, and Berlin’s wright is undeniable, despite its current economic challenges. The experience of recent years shows that what Germany pushes for in the EU often becomes reality sooner or later.’
Hungarian Conservative is a quarterly magazine on contemporary political, philosophical and cultural issues from a conservative perspective.
