Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban acknowledges cheering supporters during an election night rally in Budapest, Hungary, on April 3, 2022.After his historic guilty verdict in his hush money case, Donald Trump attacked the U.S. criminal justice system, making unfounded claims of a “rigged” trial that echoed remarks from the Kremlin.
After the verdict, Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, called Trump a “man of honour” and urged him to “keep on fighting.” Moscow was accused of meddling in the 2016 U.S. election that Trump won by creating a troll factory, hacking Hillary Clinton’s campaign, spreading fake news and trying to influence Trump-linked officials.
The Kremlin does that partly by pushing Russian points of view under the guise of news and social media posts that look like they originate in the West. For generations, U.S. presidential administrations have depicted America as a bastion of democracy, free speech and human rights and have encouraged other states to adopt those ideals. But Trump suggested the justice system is being used to persecute him – something that happens in some autocratic countries.
The message to Chinese and Russian citizens watching the drama unfold in the U.S. is that they are better off at home. The message to countries that Russia and China are courting as they attempt to expand their influence in Africa, Asia and Latin America is that Moscow and Beijing can offer more reliable partnerships.