On the day before Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban arrived in Washington for a White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, Congress was notified that Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is pulling out of Hungary. Kari Lake, the acting CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, told Congress that the radio network was “terminating and no longer funding” Szabad Europa, RFE/RL’s Hungarian branch. Lake said that the outlet’s “programming has undermined President Trump’s foreign policy by opposing the duly elected Prime Minister Viktor Orban.” So, the U.S.AGM will be “ending the use of U.S. taxpayer money” for distribution of content targeting the populations of Washington’s allies in NATO countries.
Assumedly, the targeting of populations will continue in NATO countries deemed not an ally of Washington. This raises the question, if Washington stops interfering in Hungary’s election, won’t other countries demand the same?
