Hungary Ambassador Affirms Role as Far-right Leader at Republican Gala
The Hungarian ambassador to the U.S. affirmed Hungary鈥檚 position as a beacon of the international hard-right movement at a controversial Republican gathering that white nationalists, European far-right politicians and controversial Republican politicians including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia attended.
Ambassador Szabolcs Tak谩cs appeared at the New York Young Republican Club鈥檚 (NYYRC) annual gala on Dec. 10 to accept an award on behalf of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb谩n. The ambassador, who 聽in early 2021, applauded Orb谩n鈥檚 illiberal policies as victories and echoed far-right talking points in a speech recorded by Hatewatch reporters who attended the event.
Tak谩cs began his speech by saying the NYYRC and the global right-wing movement honored Orb谩n and Hungary as an example they can win 鈥渆lections, democratically, based on traditional conservative values.鈥� Following NYYRC president Gavin Wax鈥檚 declaration of 鈥渢otal war鈥�聽against enemies of the conservative movement, Tak谩cs said Hungary was already fighting the 鈥渓iberal dictatorship.鈥�
Tak谩cs did not respond to a request for comment.
Hard-right plan
聽have accused Orb谩n of 聽for a years-long campaign that depicted Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros as an all-powerful boogeyman. They have furthered accused Orb谩n of 聽and moves to weaken Hungary鈥檚 democracy. His government, which took power a second time in 2010, has , 聽of university gender studies programs and 聽under a state-run foundation. Orb谩n鈥檚 allies have used their wealth 聽many of Hungary鈥檚 most popular independent news outlets. Hungarian officials say these changes were made with the support of Hungarian voters, who have handed Orb谩n鈥檚 Fidesz party four consecutive supermajorities.聽(Orb谩n鈥檚 first term as prime minister was from 1998-2002.)
Tak谩cs outlined Hungary鈥檚 far-right populist policies as the path toward victory. He noted Hungary鈥檚 generous payouts and tax benefits for families that have three or more children, Hungary鈥檚 media consolidation and controls on higher education.
He told the NYYRC audience they must now 鈥渇ight communism again鈥� and said, 鈥淭here are more communists in American universities鈥� than in communist political parties across the world. 鈥淵ou have to take back your universities, you have to take back your media, you have to take back the future of your children, and you will rest assured that free Hungarians are there for you.鈥�
Bulcs煤 Hunyadi, head of the Radicalisation and Extremism Programme at Hungarian think tank Political Capital, told Hatewatch Orb谩n鈥檚 party Fidesz has built 鈥渃onnections to ultraconservative, anti-immigration, anti-gender, populist radical right and even far-right actors across the EU and the US.鈥� Hunyadi assumed Takacs鈥檚 speech was meant 鈥渢o elevate Orb谩n's image and position鈥� and 鈥渄eepen the connections with the Republican party.鈥�
The crowd included hard-right disinformation specialist and racist Jack Posobiec, who has collaborated with Turning Point USA, a right-wing student group that pushes conspiracy theories about communism on U.S. campuses. The white nationalist head of hate group VDARE Peter Brimelow was also in attendance.
During the speech, Tak谩cs greeted members of the European Parliament. It is unclear to whom he referred, but members of the ultranationalist European political parties FP脰 (Austrian Freedom Party) and AfD (Alternative for Germany) attended. Members of the World War II Nazi party founded FP脰, and Germany 聽for its extremist ties.
Tak谩cs 鈥渟pecifically鈥� greeted Greene during his speech. That night, Greene said that if she had organized the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, 鈥淲e would have won. 鈥� Not to mention, it would鈥檝e been armed.鈥�
Systematic connections
Hungary has cultivated its reputation as an international far-right standard bearer since the campaign for Orb谩n鈥檚 third term in 2013, when the government 聽that depicted Soros-funded organizations as foreign meddling campaigns. As Hungary grappled with the European refugee crisis in 2015, the government portrayed Soros as the mastermind behind a wave of migration meant to change Europe鈥檚 demographics.
This is an antisemitic conspiracy theory called the 鈥�great replacement.鈥� Hungary helped mainstream the theory across Europe and the U.S. with Soros, who is Jewish, as its mastermind. FOX News host Tucker Carlson has consistently aired the conspiracy theory. Hungary adopted 聽meant to close its borders to asylum seekers and punish those who entered, which .
By 2018, the refugee crisis subsided, and the Hungarian government began to shift focus to allegations of Soros-funded 鈥�.鈥� It disaccredited gender studies programs at the E枚tv枚s Lor谩nd University and the Central European University (CEU), which Soros founded. CEU later 聽under legal pressure from the government.
The U.S. far right noticed Hungary鈥檚 perceived successes. Nonprofits funded by the Hungarian government began paying U.S. far-right figures for speeches in 2018, including .
The Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC), an education foundation funded by the Hungarian government, invited Carlson and Dennis Prager to speak in 2021. MCC paid Prager but not Carlson, according to contracts Hatewatch obtained through Hungarian public information requests. MCC has also hosted Newsweek opinion editor Josh Hammer, whom Hatewatch has covered as embracing the anti-democracy hard right. Hatewatch has not obtained the agreement between Hammer and MCC.
In October, MCC invited right-wing provocateur Andy Ngo to speak. Hatewatch was unable to locate a recording of the speech, 聽鈥淐aught in Extremism.鈥� Hatewatch obtained the contract between MCC and Ngo, which shows MCC did not pay Ngo for his speech. Hatewatch previously reported Ngo received 720 euros聽from a Polish nonprofit funded by that country鈥檚 far-right government for a speech in October 2021. At that time, that equated to approximately $865 in American dollars.
Ngo went on to give softball interviews to foreign minister P茅ter Szijj谩rt贸 and Bal谩zs Orb谩n, the prime minister鈥檚 political director and chairman of MCC鈥檚 board, about their anti-LGBTQ laws.
Hungary has 聽LGBTQ families from adopting children and 聽in June 2021 that banned teaching materials that include any mention of LGBTQ identity.
A 聽from Political Capital on Hungary鈥檚 鈥渁nti-gender mobilization鈥� says Hungary鈥檚 government has 鈥渃onsciously and strategically instrumentalized鈥� anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and policies for 鈥渋ts party-political goals.鈥�
The report goes on to note it 鈥渉as strategically and systematically established connections to US actors to influence its perception in the USA, boost its image internationally and present its international 鈥榝ame鈥� to the domestic audience in Hungary.鈥� The report named MCC as one of the 鈥渕ain Hungarian actors building and facilitating connections to US actors.鈥�
Ngo did not respond to a request for comment.
At the NYYRC gala, Tak谩cs echoed this rhetoric. He said Hungary is a state that recognizes a 鈥渇ather is a man鈥� and a 鈥渕other is a woman.鈥� This 鈥済enuine鈥� conservative message, he continued, is the 鈥渕essage for the future.鈥�
