Fred Fleitz, vice chair of the Center for American Security for America First Policy Institute, said former President Donald Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said they are concerned about the "key issue" of immigration for their countries.
Fleitz, appearing Monday on Newsmax's "Wake Up America," said he recently sat in on a meeting between Trump and Orban at the former president's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
"The discussion was off the record, so I can't tell you everything that went on," Fleitz said. "I will tell you that this was a meeting with the leader of a very close U.S. ally, that I saw a strong friendship between two conservatives who have pushed similar policies — America First by the United States by Mr. Trump and a Hungary first approach by Orban — and really a key issue here is immigration.
"When it comes to Europe, Europe does not want to fight illegal migrants. It simply wants to spread them around the continent. But Orban has said no, he won't take illegal migrants. He won't take any of them.
"That's why, he said, the violence and the breakdown of European society is not happening in Hungary. What I thought was remarkable is that he's now paying a price. He is being fined by the 'Eurocrats' in Brussels because he will not take these migrants, but still he's not going to change that position."
Fleitz said that such a meeting between a sitting prime minister and a former U.S. president is "very unusual" and said "what's even more unusual is that Orban did not even seek a meeting with President [Joe] Biden."
"Now, the Biden administration said they didn't offer one," Fleitz said. "Orban did not want to meet with Biden. Orban has actually endorsed Trump for president. That's pretty unusual and, in normal circumstances, some could say Orban is meddling in U.S. politics, but the U.S. government has really ostracized Hungary under Orban's leadership, and he's desperate to see a change in leadership in the White House this November."
Asked about Orban's dealings with U.S. adversaries, Fleitz said that they should be examined "more closely," but added that Hungary is limited in its options for trading partners.
"Orban has been criticized for his dealings with [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and with China and with Iran, and I think there's some concern about that, that we need to look at that more closely," Fleitz said. "But, on the other hand, Orban, I believe, is taking a transactional approach to his foreign policy and economic policies because he's been cut off from trade agreements and from other agreements from Western nations.
"I know he has some trade deals with Iran and China. I do find them problematic, but Hungarian officials say, 'Look, we can't make these deals with Europe; they've cut us off. We have to do what we have to do to maintain Hungary's economy.'"
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Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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