Trump's authoritarian allies plan a reunion
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Then-President Trump meets Viktor Orbán in 2019. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Thursday departed early from a NATO summit in Washington, D.C., where he played his perennial role of internal irritant, for a much friendlier meeting at Mar-a-Lago with former President Trump.
Why it matters: Thursday's Orbán split-screen highlights one dramatic change coming if Trump replaces Biden: a very different set of leaders will have VIP status with the White House.
Orbán, a hard-right populist, has clashed repeatedly with his EU and NATO allies over democratic backsliding and his friendly ties with Russia, with the latter issue becoming a major talking point this week.
- Biden loves to stress the unity of NATO in the face of Russian aggression, but Orbán has often been the odd man out since the Ukraine invasion. Hungary has watered down some Russia sanctions and held up NATO accession for Sweden.
- During this week's summit, Orbán told his fellow leaders they were "like people on the Titanic playing violins as the ship went down" if they thought Biden would win in November, the Financial Times reports.
Driving the news: Orbán traveled to the U.S. after meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow on what he described as a "peace mission," leading to speculation that he would arrive in Florida bearing messages for Trump from the Russian leader.
- Orbán posted on social media that he and Trump had "discussed ways to make peace," adding: "He's going to solve it."
- A Trump campaign spokesperson confirmed the meeting but didn't offer comment on what was discussed.
- Trump has previously described Orbán as "one of the strongest leaders anywhere in the world."
What he's saying: Trump thanked Orbán in a repost of the Hungarian leader's "peace" post.
- "There must be PEACE, and quickly," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "Too many people have died in a war that should have never started!"
Zoom out: Orbán's not the only foreign leader who'll suddenly be in Washington's good graces if Trump replaces Biden.
- Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman would likely renew his close relationship with Trump's team.
- Orbán, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Polish President Andrzej Duda and former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro were all name-checked by former national security adviser Robert O'Brien in a recent Foreign Affairs essay as leaders Biden had been wrong to distance himself from. O'Brien would likely take a senior role in a new Trump administration.
- While Bolsonaro lost re-election, Argentina President Javier Milei — a self-declared anarcho-capitalist with a "Make Argentina Great Again" slogan — is now the toast of Trump's team. Trump has praised Milei, and embraced him when they met at a conservative conference in February.
Between the lines: Despite their ideological affinity, Trump may still hold a grudge after Netanyahu congratulated Biden for his 2020 victory. A former Trump administration official recently told Axios' Barak Ravid that Netanyahu shouldn't expect an invite to the White House as early as the last time around.
What to watch: Trump could get more ideological allies in a new term.
- Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, sometimes described as a dialed-down version of Trump, polls far ahead of Justin Trudeau with an election due by next year.
- Several far-right would-be leaders are also waiting in the wings in Europe.
Go deeper: Some Trump chats with foreign leaders annoy Biden's team
Editor's note: This article has been updated with comment from former President Trump.
