WHY IS THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SUPPORTING A "NO LONGER FULLY DEMOCRATIC" STATE?

 

Rubio plugs Orbán’s bid for another term in Hungary’s elections

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday enthusiastically endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ‘s bid to serve a fifth straight term after the April elections, emphasizing during a visit to Budapest the strong personal relationship between the nationalist leader and U.S. President Donald Trump. 

Trump and Rubio are supporting this: 

"Hungary is widely considered by international bodies, including the European Parliament and Freedom House, to have transitioned from a democracy to a hybrid regime or "electoral autocracy" due to significant democratic erosion under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party since 2010, with concerns over media control, weakened judiciary, suppression of opposition, and attacks on civil liberties. 

While it still holds elections, democratic norms have been undermined, leading to its "Partly Free" rating and classification as no longer a full democracy.

Why is Trump supporting a "no longer a full democracy" state?

Rubio was not always an Orban fan:

In the May 2019 letter to then-President Trump, Marco Rubio and his colleagues (Sens. Jim Risch, Bob Menendez, and Jeanne Shaheen) detailed several specific areas where they believed democracy in Hungary had 'significantly eroded.' 

The senators argued that the election process under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had become less competitive. They observed increasing state control over the judiciary.

The letter pointed to a decrease in press freedom, mentioning discouragement of advertising for independent media and consolidation of media ownership under a foundation exempt from antitrust regulations. 

The senators were troubled by Hungary's close ties with Russia, including its reliance on Russian energy and Russia's alleged use of Hungary's 'golden visa' program to bypass U.S. sanctions. 

They criticized Hungary's refusal of a U.S. extradition request for two Russian arms dealers, who were instead sent to Moscow by the Orbán government. 

The relocation of the Russian-controlled International Investment Bank to Budapest was seen as an assertion of Russian influence within a NATO member country." --AI mode