WASHINGTON DC – The United States President Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban met in the Oval Office, at the White House – on Monday to discuss trade, cybersecurity, and energy issues, as well as weapon sales. As a member of NATO, Hungary is an important ally for the United States on both national security and economic matters.
The two leaders also honored the 20th anniversary of Hungary officially joining NATO. This was the first visit of a Hungarian Prime Minister to the Oval Office since 2005.
Speaking to the White House reporters inside the Oval Office, President Trump said that the U.S. “relationship is very good with the Hungary.”
“I know he is a tough man, but he is a respected man.” Trump said, adding that people should look at some of the tremendous problems Europe is facing because “they have done things differently” to Hungary. Further, President Trump praised Hungary’s action on curbing migration, saying Orban had “kept Hungary safe.”
Orban said Hungary was proud to join the U.S. in “fighting against illegal migration” as well as on terrorism and protecting Christian communities. Like Trump, right-wing Orban has taken a hard line against migration and hopes to coordinate that stance into a global alliance.
Hungary’s foreign minister told state radio on Sunday that an anti-migration alliance was being formed and noted that Hungary and the U.S. were among a handful of countries that last year opposed a United Nations migration pact.
The timing of the meeting, is less than two weeks ahead of European elections in which Orban and his Fidesz party are becoming a thorny issue, raised some eye-brows in Europe. The meeting could also be seen as an attempt to discourage Hungary from strengthening ties with Russian and China.
Orban thanks President Trump for inviting him, and he said he had not been in the U.S. for 20 years. Former U.S. President Barack Obama did not welcome Orban and similarly his predecessor George W. Bush did not welcome a Hungarian Prime Minister.
Trump announced during his meeting with Orban that he would use next month’s G20 summit in Japan for meetings with both Putin and Xi. Overall, the oval office meeting was successful, and the President and the Prime Minister discussed how best to increase vigilance against unchecked global migration and to address China’s unfair trade and investment practices.
Exclusive News Report from the White House by: Kanwal Abidi – White House Correspondent & Bureau Chief, Washington D.C.
