Minister Rogán on the US sanctions list: here are the first harsh reactions from the Orbán cabinet
As we were among the first to report, Antal Rogán, the head of the Prime Minister’s Cabinet, has been placed on the US sanctions list. The Orbán government has conveyed messages through multiple channels to the Biden administration and to the US Ambassador in Budapest, David Pressman, whom the government holds personally responsible.
The Orbán government placed Hungary in a precarious position by openly supporting President Donald Trump in the last US election and interfering in the electoral process of another country. This is particularly notable given that Orbán has repeatedly warned foreign politicians not to meddle in Hungarian elections. When the Biden administration assumed office, Hungarian-American relations were at their lowest point in years. Instead of improving, tensions worsened, with US Ambassador Pressman increasingly engaging in a war of words with the Hungarian government.
The ambassador has persistently criticised the Orbán cabinet, while Orbán has strengthened his ties with Donald Trump. During the most recent campaign, Orbán vocally supported Trump. Now that Trump is president again, the US Ambassador is stepping down and returning home. However, it appears he has one final surprise in store.
You can read more about the background here: Hungarian minister Rogán added to US sanctions list – update
Rogán’s inclusion on US sanctions list ‘revenge’ by outgoing US ambassador
On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that the US placing Antal Rogán, the minister heading the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office, on a sanctions list was “personal revenge” by the outgoing US ambassador, who is leaving Hungary “without honour”. Szijjártó remarked on Facebook that “it is good that the people who will lead the US within a few days will view our country as a friend and not as an enemy”.
Gergely Gulyás, the head of the Prime Minister’s Office, on Tuesday described the United States’ decision to sanction the Prime Minister’s Cabinet Office chief, Antal Rogán, as “a petty act of revenge” by outgoing US Ambassador David Pressman and the Democratic administration.
Speaking to MTI by phone, Gulyás said the decision to place Rogán on a sanctions list was “further proof that the outgoing US administration and ambassador want to exact revenge on Hungary and the Hungarian government for supporting Donald Trump in the election campaign”. He added that Trump had cited the Hungarian government and Orbán as positive examples more frequently than any other foreign politician.
However, Gulyás emphasised that Pressman and the outgoing Democratic administration were now “the past” in terms of Hungary-US relations.
He characterised the move as “a petty and baseless act of revenge that will not remain in effect for more than a few weeks”. He also said it would serve as “a reminder that the United States had an ambassador who, in violation of his official duties and ignoring the Vienna Convention, prioritised ousting the government over fostering good relations with the host country”.
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I’m surprised that US sanctions against corrupt Fidesz politicians have come so late. Everyone knows that this is a corrupt band of theives who steal Hungary blind. The EU already took action and cut off funding. Fidesz just needs to take the advice of the Polish foreign ministry and leave the EU and NATO and make a union with Russia which it allies itself with already.
Our Politicians may dislike the US decision to put Mr. Rogán on the sanctions list, however I would be surprised if the US administration would push this decision through without a very robust file on him. Which potentially makes it more difficult for a subsequent (Trump) administration to rescind. Let´s see!
On second thought – perhaps our Politicians should rather request the file on Mr. Rogán to be made public, so he can defend himself?
Wow – the WORD pressurization on the name Orban, on the Fidesz Government of Hungary, on the Political Party named Fidesz and on Hungary – MOUNTING.
Orban, his Fidesz Party, just mounting revelations of there Heinous functionality, over the course of 16 years as the Government of Hungary.
WHAT have we to this stage been Left with – DELIVERED to ???
In gargantuan number, the POWER behind PEOPLE Power, that are accepting, growing of there ACCEPTANCE – as a country of people, over the course of 16 years, we have been Used, Abused, Insulted, Embarrassed, Lied to, Mis-lead, Falsely Represented – just simple FAILED.
We may THINK as a country – the “Dirt” of this Orban Government, its “toxic culture” – there Heinous practices – are near being EXHAUSTED but thinking that way is WRONG.
Wrong for the THINKER and WRONG for Hungary.
Piles of wrongfulness of crimes and corruptions, that will HIGHLIGHT – add to the already factual list – the abuse of the Orban led Fidesz Government of Hungary, the “modus operandi” – the “Creed” – as a GOVERNMENT, under the Prime Ministership of Victor Orban, this Fidesz Government – have Dealt and “heaped” DELIVERED on us individually and as a country Hungary.
“Now this is NOT the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
PILES of FACTS – wait and WATCH is the message to fellow Hungarians, and it will be UGLY.
“You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all of the time” (not my quote). Don’t fool yourself. Fidesz is NOT going to give up fooling as many good people as it can. Like many Hungarians, I sincerely hope that the trap springs on those who have their hands in the cookie jar, but can we expect justice in the form of recovering lost assets? No, there isn’t much of a chance of that. The best we can hope for is to oust them in the next election. In a way, that is a shame because there are some good people hiding in the heavily starched Fidesz shirt. They will have to be thrown out with the dirty laundry.
Whether change comes in 2026 or not, the people of Hungary need to prepare for some very trying times. They are coming. Coming? They are already here.