Topline
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Friday the Trump administration is prepared to support his country’s currency, the forint, if it comes under attack from speculators, as the right-wing leader continues to tout economic backing from his ally, President Donald Trump, as he boosts government spending ahead of general elections in Hungary next year.
US President Donald Trump greets Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC.
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
In an interview with state media on Friday, Orbán, who met Trump at the White House last week, touted the “financial shield” he claims to have secured from the U.S. government.
Orbán said the purported shield is based on “four or five internationally known, transparent and visible” financial instruments and would only be implemented if the country faces economic challenges.
Orbán claimed he sees the Hungarian forint come under attack “regularly,” without offering any evidence, and added that if such a thing happens, the U.S.-promised support instruments will go into effect.
The Hungarian leader’s claims of speculative attacks come even as his country’s currency remains stable and has risen against the Euro throughout this year.
The forint dropped slightly earlier this week after Hungary raised its budget deficit targets to 5% to accommodate more government spending ahead of general elections in April next year.
The White House has not yet publicly commented on Orbán’s “financial shield” claims.
Tangent
Last week, Orbán met with Trump at the White House and secured a one-year exemption for his country from U.S. sanctions for using Russian oil and gas. Last month, the Trump administration imposed a fresh set of sanctions targeting Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, and threatened further action unless Moscow agreed to a ceasefire in its ongoing war with Ukraine. Before the meeting, Orban, who has been a close ally of Trump for years, had argued that access to Russian oil and gas was critical for the Hungarian economy.
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Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/11/14/orbn-touts-trump-ties-claims-us-will-help-if-hungarian-currency-comes-under-speculative-attack/
