Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban recently made headlines by appearing to endorse former President Donald Trump and casting doubts on President Joe Biden's ability to run for a second term. Orban's visit to Mar-a-Lago and subsequent social media posts praising Trump's peace efforts have stirred controversy among European leaders.
Orban's departure from the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., to visit Trump in Florida raised eyebrows, especially as Hungary currently holds the rotating presidency of the European Union. Despite Orban's claims of seeking peace during his visits to Russia, Ukraine, and China, European leaders have emphasized that his actions do not reflect the views of the EU.
During the NATO summit, Orban reportedly made disparaging remarks about allies who believed in Biden's chances of winning the next presidential election, drawing criticism from various quarters. Biden himself faced scrutiny after making verbal slips during a press conference, referring to the president of Ukraine as 'President Putin' and praising the work of 'Vice President Trump.'
While some leaders dismissed concerns about Biden's performance and rallied around him, others expressed worries about the political climate in the U.S. Finnish President Alexander Stubb voiced confidence in Biden's leadership but highlighted concerns about the divisive nature of American politics.
Russian media seized on Biden's verbal missteps to question his fitness for office, with one outlet going as far as labeling him as 'senile.' The coverage underscored the ongoing tensions and scrutiny surrounding Biden's presidency both domestically and internationally.