Pope Francis, President Biden and Viktor Orbán the “totalitarian thug”

Tucker Carlson from Fox News was in Budapest and conducted an interview with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. I found part of their conversation intriguing. Here is the official transcript.

CARLSON: When the President of the United States describes you as a totalitarian thug, it’s a very serious thing to say about somebody, I would note. I mean, that suggests that, you know, why wouldn’t the Biden State Department work to prevent you from being re-elected?

ORBAN: I think sooner or later, the Americans will realize that issues in Hungary must be decided by the Hungarians, and it is better even for the leftist liberal government in the United States to have a good partner, which is a conservative Christian Democratic supported long term by the people, Hungarian people. It’s better to have that than a government, which is supported by America and take the position, but losing after several months and creating destabilization and uncertainty.

So, not loved, but stable partner is better than the uncertain new one. That I hope the Americans will understand it.

Orbán is in trouble.  He is isolated internationally and there is a chance that he will lose next year’s election. When Carlson provocatively suggested that the US State Department would try “to prevent” his re-election, Orbán did not reject the ridiculous assumption.  Instead, he threatened the “leftist liberal government in the United States” that he will destabilize his own country.  Orbán declared that the US is better off with a not loved but stable dictator in Budapest than an uncertain new democratic government.  Sounds like a desperate, thuggish blackmail.

Joe Biden is greeting Pope Francis in Washington DC. (Official White House photo)

Orbán, the one-time Communist youth leader is also playing the champion of “conservative Christian” values and will do anything to have a photo op with Pope Francis who will stop in Hungary for a couple of hours on September 12, 2021.   The Vatican released the following travel schedule.

Sunday 12th. Pope Francis will depart from Rome’s Fiumicino International Airport arriving at Budapest International Airport at 7.45 am. Following an official welcome, the Pope will meet with the country’s bishops and meet with representatives of the Ecumenical Council of Churches and Jewish communities. In the afternoon the Pope will preside over Holy Mass for the closing of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress before departing for Bratislava, Slovakia. (Read Vatican announcement here)

 

According to this no meeting with Orbán is planned. Hungarian newspapers reported a different schedule.  According to that Francis will meet Hungarian President János Áder and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in the morning of September 12 at the Museum of Fine Arts. (Click here for this version of the program)   Others have speculated that the Pope will try to avoid Orbán. (Read here)

President Biden is a devout Catholic and maintains friendly relations with the Pope. Will Pope Francis reward Orbán, a “totalitarian thug” with a papal audience?

We’ll see it on September 12th.  I’m curious.

György Lázár

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *