Fri Feb 07 13:40:48 UTC 2025: ## Hungary Intensifies Crackdown on US-Funded NGOs and Media
**Budapest, Hungary** – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has launched a sweeping crackdown on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and media outlets receiving funding from the United States and other international sources. Orbán, a close ally of former US President Donald Trump, declared his government is meticulously reviewing all organizations receiving US financial assistance, aiming to make their operations “legally impossible.”
This latest move represents a significant escalation in Orbán’s long-standing campaign against independent media and NGOs. Critics argue that previous legislation has already stifled groups advocating for women’s rights, minority protection, and legal assistance, while hindering the exposure of government corruption. Orbán’s government justifies its actions by claiming these organizations are attempting to undermine the government. He has explicitly labeled recipients of US Agency for International Development (USAID) funding as potential “agents” and called for the publication of all such funding and the imposition of sanctions on recipients.
The recent establishment of the Sovereignty Protection Office further underscores the government’s determination to suppress perceived foreign influence. This office is specifically tasked with investigating organizations and media outlets deemed to be acting against Hungarian interests.
Orbán’s actions have drawn international condemnation, with the European Union withholding billions in funding due to concerns about Hungary’s democratic backsliding. The dismantling of USAID under the Trump administration appears to have emboldened Orbán, who praised the funding cuts, echoing claims that the aid was used to destabilize his government. The situation raises serious concerns about freedom of speech and the erosion of democratic norms in Hungary.
First Piper 