Shunned at home for 'racist' comments, Orbán seeks solace at US conservative conference
Viktor Orban, the firebrand Hungarian prime minister who is increasingly isolated in the European Union over his "racist" anti-immigration policies, dismantling of rule of law safeguards and opposition to further Russian sanctions, is likely to receive a very warm welcome when he takes the stage at a right-wing annual conservative conference in the US.
Ahead of his address at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas, Texas, on Thursday, Orban met with former US President Donald Trump, describing him as "our important ally".
"We are committed to stopping illegal migration, keeping taxes low and, most importantly, we are committed to peace," he said on Facebook.
His Foreign Minister, Péter Szijjártó, who accompanied him on the trip, added that "Hungarian-US relations were at their peak when Donald Trump was President of the US. Here's to hoping we will get there once more."
Trump, who is believed to be gearing up for a second run for the Oval Office, said that the two "discussed many interesting topics -- few people know as much about what is going on today."
"We were also celebrating his great electoral victory in April," he added.
For Orban, the visit to the US comes after sparking outrage in Europe over comments he delivered during his annual address at the Tusvanyos Summer University in Romania on 30 July. Orban had praised what he called the "unmixed Hungarian race" and denounced countries where European and non-European people intermingle as "no longer nations".
He defended his stance again last Thursday during a visit to Austria, arguing that "I can sometimes express myself in a way that can be misunderstood" and that his comments were not about racism but about "cultural differences" and preserving the
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