Orbán emphasizes to Trump that Hungary survives today as Christian ‘island of difference in a liberal ocean’

President Donald Trump had a cordial meeting at the White House on Friday with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who he emphasized was a “good person” and a “great leader.”

In addition to discussing trade, the war in Ukraine, and energy, the two leaders discussed two transformative matters where Hungary has distinguished itself from the rest of Europe, namely immigration and faith.

‘We want a Christian Europe because we believe that this is the only way forward.’

Trump noted that while other European nations have made “tremendous mistakes on immigration and it’s really hurting them very badly, [Orbán] has not made a mistake on immigration,” adding that while not universally liked, Orbán, who has been prime minister since 2010, “is respected by everybody” and well-positioned to win his 2026 election, where he’s likely to face off against liberal Europhile Péter Magyar.

After Trump celebrated the conservative nationalist’s leadership, Orbán made a point of clarifying the nature of his government: “We are the only government in Europe which considers itself as a modern Christian government. All the other governments in Europe are basically liberal, leftist governments.”

Orbán noted that since retaking office in 2010, he and his Christian government have endeavored to break from the pack “at the philosophical level and at the level of practice as well.”

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Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

“We are kind of a special island of difference in a liberal ocean in Europe and consider ourselves as a modern Christian government,” the prime minister continued.

Orbán has made no secret of his antipathy for atheistic establishmentarians and liberal bureaucrats in Brussels, noting in a September statement, for instance, that “the European Union is teetering on the brink, with debt, migration, violence, and failing policies everywhere. Hungary stands firm: migrant-free, pro-family, providing opportunities to those willing to work. We need courage — intellectual, political, and personal — to recognize that the West is no longer a role model to follow, and to show that there is a better way.”

The prime minister’s policies have long enraged liberals — who frequently refer to him as an “authoritarian” — and in some cases resulted in threats and financial penalties from the European Commission.

Hungary under his leadership has, for instance, imposed a ban on LGBT propaganda targeting children; signaled opposition to Ukraine’s proposed admission to the European Union; drove bums out of public spaces; built a barrier to keep out border jumpers; and implemented various pro-natalist measures including tax exemptions for mothers.

“We want a Christian Europe because we believe that this is the only way forward,” the prime minister said earlier this year. “In the shadow of empires, at the crossroads of civilizations, we have always won our battles for the survival of our homeland, the preservation of our nation, and Christian culture.”

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