In Hungary, Marco Rubio Stresses Trump’s Support for Viktor Orban

Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the personal ties between President Trump and Prime Minister Viktor Orban at a news conference in Budapest, saying the president was "deeply committed" to Orban's success and that "your success is our success." The meeting took place at the prime minister’s office in the Carmelite Monastery.

Mr. Orban has touted transforming Hungary into an "illiberal state" and spent years working to weaken democratic institutions, including bringing the judiciary and media under government control. Those actions have raised questions about the fairness of upcoming elections, and he faces a potentially tough challenge in national balloting in April from Peter Magyar, a former Fidesz member running on an anti-corruption platform who has promised to mend relations with the European Union.

Mr. Orban appears to be counting on his ties to Mr. Trump: the president endorsed him in a social media post on Feb. 5, and Mr.

Hungary, Budapest

marco rubio, donald trump, viktor orban, hungary, budapest, fidesz, peter magyar, illiberal state, media control, judiciary control