Hungary’s Viktor Orbán to visit former president Donald Trump at Florida home next week

NEW YORK (AP) — Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will visit former President Donald Trump next week at his Florida home Mar-a-Lago, according to a person briefed on the plans.

The meeting comes as Trump seeks to turn his attention to his looming election rematch with President Joe Biden. Trump’s political standing within his own party seems stronger than ever, having easily won the early presidential Republican primary contests and flexed his influence over GOP members in Congress and the leadership of his political party.

The person briefed on the plans was not authorized to disclose them publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Orbán and Trump have been long allies and Trump regularly praises the right-wing populist in his campaign speeches. The two met in August 2022 at Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club when Orbán traveled to the United States to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, in Texas.

In April 2023, when charges were filed in the first of Trump’s four criminal cases, Orbán posted a message of support for Trump urging him to “keep on fighting.”

Trump in early 2022 said he was giving his “complete support and endorsement” to Orbán’s reelection campaign that year.

Orban, who has been in office since 2010, has promoted what he calls “illiberal democracy” and has been criticized by international observers, including the U.S. State Department, for leading an increasingly autocratic system in Hungary, including allegations he rolled back minority rights, seized control of the judiciary and media and manipulated the country’s election system to remain in power.

The visit was first reported Wednesday night by The New York Times.

Michelle L. Price, The Associated Press