In response to reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared that American democracy is “self-destructing,” US President Donald Trump has praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a controversial autocrat often criticized for his crackdowns on dissent and media freedom.
“He’s a respected leader and highly respected in his country,” Trump said of Orban in an interview with The New York Times. “He’s done a very good job in many ways. Highly respected. Respected all over Europe. Probably, like me, a bit controversial, but that’s OK. That’s OK. You’ve seen what he’s done, he’s done a tremendous job in Hungary.”
