UNITED NATIONS — A Hungarian official sat down with Fox News Digital at the United Nations this week as his country is poised to follow the U.S. in declaring Antifa a terrorist organization. He said the move highlights the strengthening ties between the U.S. and Hungary now that the Biden administration has ended.
"I think this is another issue which shows that the current Trump administration and the government of Prime Minister [Viktor] Orbán are close to each other when it comes to major political issues," Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó told Fox News Digital. "It was obvious that we do consider Antifa as an extremist organization, spreading an extremism ideology based on which they encourage their members and activists to attack innocent people. And this is simply unacceptable."
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a strong ally of President Donald Trump, said in a radio interview on Sept. 19 that it was time for Budapest to follow "the American model," according to The Associated Press.
TRUMP CALLS ANTIFA ‘TERRORIST GROUP,’ FUELING FIGHT OVER FREE SPEECH AND LIMITS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT
Szijjártó also referenced an incident in 2023 in which Antifa activists assaulted individuals who they believed to be part of a far-right event in Budapest, the AP.
The outlet noted that one of the alleged assailants was Italian Antifascist activist Ilaria Salis, who has since become a member of the European Parliament, giving her immunity from prosecution. Szijjártó told Fox News Digital it was a "shame" that Hungary could not take legal action against her.
"The European Parliament has proved again that it is a super over-ideologized and over-politicized body [ruled] by the extremist, liberal, very aggressive extremist liberal mainstream," he said.
While Hungary has called on the European Union to also declare Antifa a terrorist organization, Szijjártó told Fox News Digital that he has "less hope" that the EU will act.
EX-ANTIFA ACTIVIST PRAISES TRUMP’S DECISION TO LABEL GROUP DOMESTIC TERRORISTS
As Hungary faces challenges in Europe, it is seeing an improved relationship with the U.S., with Szijjártó hailing it as a "golden age."
"Under the Democrat administration, we Hungarians were considered as enemies. There was a very hostile approach by the Democrat administration," Szijjártó said, referring to former President Joe Biden's White House. "And since President Trump has been in office, this thing has totally, totally changed … We are basically experiencing the golden age of this U. S.-Hungary relationship."
Hungary also backs Trump’s call for greater NATO spending as the alliance faces renewed pressure over recent incursions into the airspace of Denmark, Estonia and Poland. Some of the incidents have been connected to Russia.
When speaking with Fox News Digital, Szijjártó emphasized Hungary’s view of NATO as "a very important pillar of European security."
ZELENSKYY SAYS TRUMP SHOWED HE WANTS TO SUPPORT UKRAINE ‘TO THE VERY END’
"We do hope that NATO will further strengthen in the future. We have agreed with the approach of President Trump arguing in favor of increasing the share of defense spending of the allies' GDPs," Szijjártó said.
Amid rising tensions between NATO and Russia, Hungary is uniquely aware of the dire risks of a confrontation between the two parties.
Hungary shares a border with Ukraine and has witnessed the impact of Kyiv’s war with Russia up close. Szijjártó cautioned that a showdown between NATO and Russia could spark World War III. However, Hungary sees Trump as a likely peacemaker in the region.
"President Trump is the only hope to make peace," Szijjártó told Fox News Digital. He went on to say that the U.S.-Russia talks must continue to get the world to a stable place.
"Whenever there is a civilized, high-level Russia-U.S. engagement, then the security situation of the world is improving. Whenever there is [a] lack of U.S.-Russia talks, then the global security situation deteriorates," Szijjártó said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
