Hungary’s Viktor Orban says he is rooting for re-election of Trump
- Orban said he was in his kitchen when the president called him and they had a long talk about bilateral issues
- The prime minister said he is backing Trump because what he represents ‘is good for Central Europe’
Orban said he was in his kitchen when Trump called him on Thursday evening and they had a long talk about the pandemic situation in America, the US electoral outlook and bilateral issues.
“What the president represents is good for Central Europe, which is why we are rooting – at least me, personally – for him to win the election,” he said on state radio.
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In July 2016, Orban became the first European national leader to publicly endorse Trump’s presidential candidacy.
At the time, Orban, who was elected for a third consecutive term, and fourth overall, in 2018 on the back of a ferocious anti-immigrant campaign, said he preferred Trump because of his anti-terrorism proposals and his opposition to “democracy export.”
Orban also said on Friday that it was increasingly common for national leaders to speak informally on the phone and build personal relationships instead of relying on formal diplomatic contacts.