Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor OrbĂĄn tore into European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday, saying President Donald Trump clearly outmatched her in negotiating the new U.S.-EU trade deal announced over the weekend.
Trump unveiled the deal Sunday, which imposes a 15% tariff on most EU imports and includes a pledge by Brussels to purchase $750 billion in American energy and invest another $600 billion into the U.S. economy. During a Monday morning podcast appearance, OrbĂĄn called Trump a âheavyweight negotiatorâ and von der Leyen a âfeatherweight,â adding it would be difficult for the European leader to spin the deal as a win for the EU.
âIt wasnât a deal that President Donald Trump made with Ursula von der Leyen. It was Donald Trump eating Ursula von der Leyen for breakfast,â OrbĂĄn, who leads Hungaryâs conservative Fidesz party, said. âThe position of the U.S. President is much more confident, and the position of the President of the Commission is always more fragile.â
OrbĂĄn also claimed that the new U.S.-EU agreement was worse than the trade deal the U.K. reached with the U.S. in May, which lowered tariffs on most British goods to 10%. Other right-wing European leaders, such as Marine Le Pen of France, have similarly criticized von der Leyenâs handling of the negotiations.
Von der Leyenâs office declined to comment on OrbĂĄnâs remarks.
The Hungarian prime minister, who has held office continuously since 2010, has long been a critic of Brussels. OrbĂĄn has frequently clashed with the EU over its support for mass immigration and pro-LGBTQ policies, advocating instead for the preservation of traditional family values.
Meanwhile, OrbĂĄn has positioned himself as an ally of Trump and his policies.
âThanks to President Trumpâs common-sense diplomacy, peace is gaining ground,â OrbĂĄn said following the NATO summit in June, where member states committed to raising defense spending to 5% of GDP. âNew conflicts are being contained, old ones are losing momentum. In a world full of chaos, common sense is making a comeback.â
With steep new tariffs set to take effect on Aug. 1, countries around the world are racing to finalize trade deals with Washington. In addition to the EU and U.K., the U.S. has recently reached agreements with Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia.
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