Samuel D Samson, Senior Advisor at the US State Department, has completed his recent diplomatic tour of Central Europe. During his trip, he headlined as the featured speaker at an event held by the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs on Monday, 15 December. Two days later, on Wednesday, 17 December, he gave an online press conference to journalists in the region.
He started the event by stating that he has been visiting ‘key allies of the US’ in the past few days, namely Czechia, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Mr Samson stressed that all these nations have shared values cherishing ideas such as free speech, democracy, and national sovereignty—’fundamental Western values’, as he described them.
The speaker also shared that the new administration in the US is now working with civil societies in Europe that were previously ignored, for standing for issues like border security and the sanctity of life. In line with this broader policy change, the United States is placing renewed emphasis on ‘natural rights’ in its international dialogue, rather than the ‘ideological rights’ that, according to Samson, characterized the previous administration’s approach and that of many liberal governments.
Speaking on Hungary specifically, Mr Samson stated that the governments in Budapest and Washington now share the understanding that the primary role of government is to represent the interests of its people. He also expressed his gratitude to Hungary for the work it has done on issues such as family support, pursuing peace, and combating censorship. He later described Hungary as ‘a leader in Europe in defending civilizational values’.
Then, Mr Samson went on to say that, despite some misconceptions, the Trump administration does not only cooperate with right-wing parties in Europe. However, it does view their rising popularity as a positive because of their ‘common-sense solutions’ to problems like immigration.
He also spoke of the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of Hungary in Washington, DC on 7 November. According to the speaker, the meeting was a great success, and ‘a lot more will come out of it,’ as he put it. He also lauded the recently signed liquefied natural gas (LNG) deal between the US and Hungary. Mr Samson noted that there will be parliamentary elections held in Hungary next year, where he is hoping to see a free and fair process with no interference from foreign NGOs.
Moving back to the broader topic of intercontinental relations, Mr Samson stated that the United States is hoping to see a strong and prosperous Europe, which, in turn, can be the basis for a strong and prosperous partnership between the two parties.
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