Trump Begs Another Country to Elect Putin’s Ally
The Daily Beast • • world
Key Points:
- Donald Trump has publicly endorsed Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for re-election, praising him as a strong leader committed to protecting Hungary and promoting law and order.
- Orbán, a far-right anti-immigration leader and close ally of both Trump and Vladimir Putin, faces a tough election on April 12, 2026, amid economic challenges and criticism over his ties to Moscow.
- The opposition center-right Tisza party, led by former Orbán insider Péter Magyar, currently leads the polls by 9 percentage points ahead of the election.
- Reports suggest Russian intelligence considered staging an assassination attempt on Orbán to boost his campaign, while Hungary’s foreign minister is accused of leaking EU secrets to Russia, raising concerns about Moscow’s influence in EU affairs.
- Orbán’s close relationship with Putin and dependence on Russian energy have made his ties to Moscow a major issue in Hungary’s political landscape, especially during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
