Trump highlights praise from Orbán after Biden criticizes meeting

Former President Trump highlighted praise from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in social media posts Sunday night, shortly after President Biden criticized Trump for hosting the autocrat at Mar-a-Lago.

Trump, the only remaining GOP candidate running for president in 2024, promoted a video from the Hungarian autocrat and reposted Orbán’s praise of him as “a president of peace.”

“He commanded respect in the world, and created the conditions for peace. During his presidency there was peace in the Middle East and peace in Ukraine. We need him back more than ever!” Orbán wrote in a social media post that was then amplified by Trump.

“Thank you for the invitation, Mr. President!” Orbán added in the post.

Trump faced sharp criticism over the weekend from Biden, who will likely be Trump’s Democratic opponent going into the 2024 general election.

Biden, who has made the fight for democracy central to his 2024 campaign, slammed Trump for hosting the Hungarian prime minister and his daughter to the former president’s Florida estate.

“You know who he’s meeting with today down at Mar-a-Lago?” Biden said at a campaign event in Pennsylvania this weekend. “Orbán of Hungary, who stated flatly he doesn’t think democracy works; he’s looking for dictatorship.”

Biden added that world leaders have told him that Trump “can’t win again, because my democracy is at stake.” Last month, Biden also claimed nine heads of state underscored the importance of his victory in November.

When Biden was leaving the White House for Philadelphia, he was asked if he’s concerned that Trump is meeting with Orbán.

“If I’m not, you should be,” the president said.

On Saturday, Trump said on Truth Social it was an honor to host Orbán.

“Viktor is a Great Leader, respected all over the World,” he wrote. “Hungary is a Safe Country because of his Strong Immigration Policies, and as long as he is in charge, it always will be!”

Orbán in recent years has become a popular figure embraced by some on the American right. He has delivered keynote speeches during Conservative Political Action Conference events, one of which was hosted last year in Budapest, Hungary.