The Budapest Bromance

Trump and Orbán hold a “bilateral” that’s really a mutual admiration society for illiberal strongmen, complete with imaginary trade deals and zero crime in fantasyland.

Unable to kick off another taxpayer-funded golf weekend without first begging an appeals court to let him starve Americans, Donald Trump welcomed his “friend” Victor Oruraban, which, yes, is neither how you spell Viktor nor Orbán, but accuracy is for the fake news. Hungary, we’re told, has zero crime, zero problems, and presumably zero vowels left for the prime minister’s name. From there, we speed-run straight into Econ Wonderland: Thanksgiving is 25% cheaper (“because Walmart said so,” perhaps in a dream), gas is “about $2,” and inflation is basically a decorative garnish he keeps around for ambiance. Somewhere, Jerome Powell quietly clutches a spreadsheet and weeps.

Orbán takes the mic to announce that everything was “ruined” by Democrats until Trump returned like a home warranty plan for geopolitics. “After your leaving, President, everything was basically blocked, ruined, cancelled, a lot of harm done by the previous administration,” he laments, practically filing a warranty claim right there in the East Room.