Orban Critiques von der Leyen Following US-EU Trade Deal
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban recently commented on a trade agreement announced by former President Donald Trump, suggesting that Trump clearly outshined European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the negotiations. This deal, revealed over the weekend, includes a 15% tariff on most EU imports, a commitment for Brussels to buy $700 billion in US energy, along with an additional $600 billion investment in the US economy.
On a podcast, Orban referred to Trump as the “heavyweight negotiator” while describing von der Leyen as a “featherweight.” He expressed skepticism about European leaders being able to frame the deal as a success for the EU. “This wasn’t just a contract made with Ursula von der Leyen. Donald Trump is effectively eating her for breakfast,” Orban remarked. He emphasized that the US President appears to be in a much stronger position compared to the European Commission President.
Moreover, Orban noted that the latest US-EU agreements outpace those developed by the UK with the US in May, where tariffs on many UK goods were reduced to 10%. Other right-leaning European leaders, like Marine Le Pen, have also criticized France’s approach to von der Leyen’s negotiations.
Von der Leyen’s office chose not to respond to Orban’s comments.
Having been in office since 2010, Orban has regularly opposed Brussels and clashed with the EU over issues like immigration policies and LGBTQ rights, often advocating for traditional family values.
At the same time, Orban has positioned himself as an ally of Trump, stating that “President Trump’s common-sense diplomacy has achieved peace.” Following the NATO summit in June, he mentioned that member states have agreed to raise defense spending to 5% of their GDP, claiming that new conflicts are being contained while older ones are losing strength. “In a chaotic world, common sense is making a comeback,” he added.
With a new tariff set to take effect on August 1, countries worldwide are racing to finalize trade agreements with the US. In addition to the EU and the UK, recent deals have also been struck with Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
