Trump to meet with Hungary’s leader, Viktor Orbán, continuing his embrace of autocrats

Former President Donald Trump on Friday is scheduled to meet with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, as the likely Republican presidential nominee continues his embrace of autocratic leaders who are part of a global pushback against democratic traditions. Orbán has become an icon to some conservative populists for championing what he calls “illiberal democracy,” replete with restrictions on immigration and LGBTQ+ rights. On Thursday, as foreign dignitaries milled through Washington, D.C., ahead of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address, Orbán skipped the White House and instead spoke at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank overseeing the 2025 Project, the effort to create a governing blueprint for Trump’s next term.