Trump Heaps Praise on Hungary’s Far Right Prime Minister: ‘He’s Done a Tremendous Job’

President Donald Trump today hosted Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the White House and offered him some words of praise.

Ahead of Trump hosting Orban, multiple reports noted how Orban was previously snubbed for White House visits by both George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Per the New York Times:

He has enfeebled democratic institutions, strived to achieve a Hungarian ethnic homogeneity and pulled his nation closer to the opponents of American influence, Russia and China.

His welcome at the White House is seen by Mr. Trump’s critics as emblematic of the president’s preference for strongman leaders who seek to undermine the liberal international order.

At the White House this afternoon, Trump said Orban has “done a tremendous job in so many ways. Highly respected, respected all over Europe. Probably like me a little bit controversial, but that’s okay. That’s okay. You’ve done a good job and you’ve kept your country safe.”

And that wasn’t all:

In his Oval office meeting, President Trump says Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has "done the right thing, according to many people, on immigration."@Amnesty International has condemned Hungary for its "systematic crackdown on the rights of refugees and migrants."

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 13, 2019

2/ e.g.: "More than 20,000 people were summarily and sometimes violently returned to Serbia or otherwise prevented from entering Hungary without access to fair and efficient asylum processes and an examination of their protection needs," @amnesty wrote.

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 13, 2019

You can watch above, via CNN.

[image via screengrab]