EXCLUSIVE — Former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visited the White House and State Department during a trip to Washington, D.C., last week, as his successor works to undo his 16 years in power.
The previously unknown visit, revealed to the Washington Examiner by a source familiar with the matter, appears to be his first since leaving power in April. Previous reports disclosed that Orban visited the United States to attend the World Cup in a private capacity, but not Washington, D.C. It’s unclear who he met with and what was discussed during the visits, but it shows that the Trump administration hasn’t given up on its former biggest ally in power in Europe.
After losing in April, Orban is still president of his Fidesz Party but is no longer a sitting member of parliament.
The White House had no comment on the matter. The Washington Examiner reached out to the State Department for comment.
While the Trump administration chafed against many of the U.S.’s allies in Europe, Orban formed a close bond through ideological affinity, going on to cement these ties through the building up of a conservative intellectual infrastructure closely linked to the conservative movement in the U.S.
Orban broke with the rest of Europe in helping President Donald Trump’s pursuit of a detente with Russia, even offering Budapest as the location of a summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Orban was held to be such an important ally that Trump sent Vice President JD Vance to stump for him ahead of the April election, when his Fidesz Party suffered its first loss since taking office in 2010.
Despite working his hardest to keep his rival in power, Trump was initially courteous to Prime Minister Peter Magyar, saying he was going to do a “good job” and that he’s a “good man,” comments that were received warmly by Magyar. Vance said he was “sad” to see Orban ousted, but pledged to work with Magyar.
Relations appear to have cooled since, with no major developments. Trump and Magyar’s first interaction came at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, earlier this month, and ended in what was widely interpreted as a snub. When the leaders all gathered for a photo op, Trump didn’t acknowledge the new prime minister, even while shaking hands with Iceland’s prime minister, who was standing next to him. Magyar appeared to at first believe the handshake was intended for him, then stood by smiling awkwardly when realizing it wasn’t.
Magyar denied any awkwardness in an interview with ATV, claiming the two had already shaken hands before the picture was taken, which was why they didn’t shake hands during filming. He said they exchanged pleasantries, and Trump congratulated him on his victory.
Magyar then sardonically said that he hoped right-wing media outlets got “joy” from the exchange, “before they disappear.”
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Magyar, a longtime Fidesz Party member, first gained national attention after publicly resigning from the party on Feb. 10, 2024, amid a corruption scandal. He made his career presenting himself as the ultimate opponent of Orban, ultimately winning in a landslide on April 12. He has devoted much of his premiership to purging the country of Fidesz’s influence, escalating this with his announcement of “Operation Purgatory” last month. The operation included heavy auditing and investigations into Fidesz figures and allies, and the establishment of a retroactive 12-year term limit for MPs, banning Orban from running again and stripping senior Fidesz figures of immunity.
The heavy-handed campaign targeting Trump’s closest friend and ally in Europe is unlikely to have endeared Magyar to the president. Whether the White House or the State Department is planning any political actions as a result of the meeting with Orban is not yet clear.