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Donald Trump’s love for Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán revealed in debate

Vaseline September 11, 2024

Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris clashed during the presidential debate over Trump’s standing among world leaders, after Harris said world leaders were “laughing at” him.

Responding to questions about Trump’s repeated and unsubstantiated claims that he won the 2020 election while President Joe Biden won, Harris said some world leaders do not hold them in as high regard as he claims.

“I’m going to tell you that I’ve traveled around the world as vice president of the United States and world leaders laugh at Donald Trump,” she said. “I’ve spoken to military leaders, some of whom work with you, and they say you’re a disgrace.”

Trump responded by bringing up Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who he credited with being more favorable to the Trump administration, Trump said during the debate.

“They call him a strong man. He’s a tough man,” Trump said of Orbán, a far-right politician who has stirred controversy for his efforts to curb press freedoms and political opposition.

“Viktor Orbán said, he said, ‘the most respected, most feared person is Donald Trump. We had no problems when Trump was president,’” Trump said, calling Biden a “weak, pathetic man.”

Presidential Debate Fact Check: Keep an eye on Trump and Harris’ claims

Trump has promised to be a dictator from ‘day one’

Trump praised authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin of Russia, Xi Jinping of China and Viktor Orbán.

Harris and others have criticized Trump’s pledge to become a dictator on day one of a potential second administration, even though the ex-president has said that would mean he would use his executive powers to close the border and expand the U.S. energy sector.

Harris and Biden have long sought to portray the former president as a threat to democracy, especially against the backdrop of the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021.

Harris repeatedly positioned himself in the debate as the candidate who wanted to preserve democracy.

How to Watch the Trump-Harris Debate

On Tuesday, September 10 at 9:00 p.m. EDT, USA TODAY Network will stream the ABC News Presidential Debate Simulcast on the USA TODAY channel, available on most smart TVs and devices.

Contributors: Rebecca Morin, Ella Lee