Trump made a huge issue out of the spending in NATO by the USA. That along with USA military policy changing with Trump, this prejudice began to grow to protect from any wrath Trump might cause NATO. We all know what horrible anger he demonstrated internationally. The "small hand" thing carried over to end handshaking with Trump by some other leaders. The circus never stopped and neither did his mouth.
USAID needs to work with the Hungarian government to bring about an understanding of the people caught up in a legislative pedophilia act. They are honest hardworking people and they are valued as very important within the armed forces of the USA. They should be valued as important citizens of Hungary as well.
The USA cannot allow such prejudice to exist because it will reflect on the readiness of our allies to work with USA troops.
Hungary has been considered a solid NATO partner (click here) since it became a member of the alliance in 1999. Today, it has troops in Kosovo and Afghanistan and contributes to the Baltic air policing mission. Meanwhile, its defense spending has remained low, amounting to just 1.22 percent of the country’s gross domestic product in 2019.
However, Hungarian defense spending has significantly accelerated, with a major focus on force modernization. In its 2020 national budget, Hungary is expected to increase its defense spending by 20 percent, for a total defense budget of 616 billion forints, or $2.1 billion. Hungary is on track to reach the goal of 2 percent defense spending by 2023. Much of the defense budget increase has occurred since the beginning of the Trump administration, with Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó emphasizing President Donald Trump’s call for European countries to ensure their own security.
Hungary is purchasing Saab Gripen fighters to replace its aging Soviet fighters....
The Hungarian government’s controversial anti-LGBT law, (click here) passed in June, will apply near churches as well as schools, according to a new official decree.
The NATO member country's so-called Anti-Pedophilia Act was originally aimed at enhancing penalties for child abuse, but amendments have been added banning the "promotion of homosexuality" or gender reassignment to minors.
The latest decree will go into effect in 30 days, the government said late on August 6.
Amnesty International’s Hungarian office in reaction to the latest announcement insisted on August 7 that the law will "fail sooner or later."
"In the meantime, it is the responsibility of all of us not to give in to the government's vile incitement to hatred," the group said in a statement.
Following passage of the law, thousands of people joined the annual Budapest Pride march on July 24 in a show of support for the LGBT community and to protest the legislation.
The law, which came into force last month, has become a target of Europe’s LGBT community and their allies, putting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s conservative government again at odds with Brussels....
