Freedom fighters unite? Hungary celebrates deepening ties with Trump-era US
Addressing a festive event celebrating American Independence Day in Budapest on Wednesday, Péter Szijjártó, the foreign minister, said “a new golden era” of US-Hungary ties had emerged in the past few months. Ever since President Donald Trump took office, “friendship has replaced lecturing and accusations”, he added.
“Like the United States, Hungary also attaches exceptional importance to independence,” the minister said in his speech at the US ambassador’s residence. “We are proud to be among those countries that fought for their own freedom and sovereignty… We are proud to think of ourselves as a nation of freedom fighters.”
Szijjártó said ties and friendship were now on a stable footing, and he hailed the role of US ambassador to Budapest Robert Palladino in creating “a new golden era” of relations. He said “a revolution of common sense” was underway, thanks to President Trump. “We Hungarians are proud to be among the standard-bearers of this revolution.”
The world, he added, had become safer and new wars were shorter, while old wars “seem to be dying out”. Terms like “peace, peace negotiations and ceasefire” were again being used, even by those who had attacked Hungary, he said. Szijjártó said the US and Hungary had adopted similar approaches to border protection and the fight against illegal migration, adding, “We insist on our sovereign right to make sovereign decisions” about “whom we allow in and whom we live with.”
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He also noted similar policies on supporting families and strengthening traditional values, and he referred to a new law instigating “the largest tax reduction programme” in Europe, and 5% of GDP channelled to supporting families. The minister noted that trade turnover reached a record high last year and American companies are the third-largest investors in Hungary.
Hungary has supported investments by 140 American companies, helping to create 20,000 jobs, while strategic cooperation agreements have been signed with 14 US companies, he noted.
A new Hungarian consulate will soon open in Boston, he announced.
Szijjártó also announced support for investments by US companies in the automotive industry, electromobility and digital research and development. “On the other side of the ocean, they say ‘America first’. On this side of the ocean, we say ‘Hungary first’ … allowing us to raise our friendship to a level where sky’s the limit,” he said.
Szijjártó concluded by declaring: “God bless the wonderful nation that loves freedom and fights for freedom, the United States, and God bless the American-Hungarian friendship…”
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