There was a time when something like this would have been unthinkable—American leaders openly campaigning for a foreign figure widely known for eroding democratic institutions and maintaining close ties with Vladimir Putin, a longstanding U.S. adversary. This isn’t new. Trump’s praise for leaders aligned with Moscow has been consistent for years, making this less an aberration than a continuation of a deeply troubling pattern.
‘I Love Viktor’: Trump and Vance Cheer on Orban in Hungarian Race
The American leaders slathered on the praise for the nationalist standard-bearer just days before an election he could lose.
By Andrew Higgins and Lili Rutai, NY Times
With showbiz hoopla and solemn ceremony, President Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday jumped into the final stretch of an election campaign in Hungary, heaping lavish praise on Prime Minister Viktor Orban just five days before a vote that most polls predict his party could lose.
While Mr. Vance cheered on Mr. Orban in person in Budapest, the Hungarian capital, Mr. Trump offered effusive praise by telephone to a Budapest stadium packed with supporters of Hungary’s governing Fidesz party.
