It's official, CPAC Hungary 2025, the fourth edition of the event, will take place on May 29–30. To mark the announcement, Miklos Szantho and Matt Schlapp gave a joint interview, discussing not only this major gathering that fosters international right-wing unity but also the global shifts currently underway.
The overseas CPAC is the largest gathering of the American Right, a true rallying point for Trump supporters. They don’t beat around the bush; they speak the truth as they see it—just like Trump does. It’s no surprise that Hungary has become CPAC’s European venue—in fact, CPAC Hungary has emerged as the hub of the international Right. I’d go even further: we’re no longer just talking about the Right but about freedom-loving, commonsense sovereigntists, which includes economically libertarian figures like Argentina’s President Javier Milei and even nominally left-wing leaders like Slovaia's President Robert Fico,
explained Miklos Szantho, adding that the Hungarian Right has been a political innovator: “We recognized years ago that national-minded, sovereigntist forces cannot operate in isolation; they need to form networks.”
I’m very proud of the work we’ve done with CPAC, but I want to remain humble because many people have done great things. We stood by Donald Trump from the very start of his first presidential term in 2016, and throughout all four years. We supported him even after the events of January 6, 2021, inviting him to speak on our stage just weeks later when he was labeled an insurrectionist and election denier. They tried to strip him of his wealth, even tried to imprison him. But we never distanced ourselves—we always stood by him. We did this because we knew he is a historic leader, and we needed his voice,
emphasized Matt Schlapp
I firmly believe that CPAC as an organization plays an influential role simultaneously in several key countries. And I think we are gaining real momentum worldwide, enabling freedom-loving candidates to win in even more key nations,
the CPAC Foundation president added.
According to Miklos Szantho, the goal of this year’s CPAC Hungary is to bring together the anti-globalist, sovereigntist wave emerging on both sides of the Atlantic. 2024 was a pivotal year for the strengthening of sovereigntist forces, and Matt Schlapp is convinced that Donald Trump’s election “changed the course of history.” He stated that Americans have “finally realized what’s going on here,” referring to the aggressive actions of the Democratic administration, the imposition of transgender ideology, and the push for illegal migration.
Most CPAC supporters believe America derailed when Donald Trump lost. Socialists entrenched themselves in corporations, in their boards of directors. They seized control over the bureaucracy, which we now call the deep state. They took over the direction of churches, universities and even nonprofit organizations,
Schlapp listed, adding that the socialists grossly overreached, which ultimately led to their downfall.
We recently visited Japan and Argentina, and everywhere people are thrilled that Donald Trump won. He’s sparked hope across the globe,
said Schlapp.
Miklos Szantho agrees that there has been a significant strengthening, but he emphasizes that the framework has shifted the most
On one hand, it has become evident that the Western liberal model of decision-making and societal organization has failed: migration has led to crime and drug issues; gender madness has been institutionalized, leaving people unsure as to who’s a boy and who’s a girl. And make no mistake—if someone loses their grip on such fundamental issues, they won’t be able to comprehend the risks of escalating regional conflicts, like the war in Ukraine, to a global scale,
he pointed out.
All of this has reinforced the idea that the West, particularly Europe, is losing its geopolitical influence and competitiveness. However,
Donald Trump embraced Viktor Orban’s realization: "you have to play by your own rules, not those of the liberals".
While major historical shifts don’t happen overnight, both experts see hope for the European continent. Though Szantho notes the Berlin–Paris axis has never been weaker—France is ungovernable, and Germany is in constant political crisis—the national populist transformation is gradually reaching Western Europe.
Promising events lie ahead, signaling a strong rightward shift in Europe: Austria will likely form a true right-wing government; in Germany, leftist-liberal parties are lagging in pre-election polls; Babis may return in the Czech Republic; and the Italian Right is expected to perform well in upcoming local elections. We must heartily root for our Polish friends in their next presidential election,
Miklos Szantho listed, showing optimism.
I’m glad people are waking up,
Matt Schlapp commented on Szantho’s analysis. He admitted he didn’t understand why more people hadn’t rebelled against Brussels, but considering that his own country was “asleep in a coma” while globalists took over, he feels he has “little right to criticize” Europeans.
As for the upcoming snap elections in Germany, the experts are optimistic.
It seems—though it's too early to jump to conclusions—that a shift beyond immigration policy may be underway. Before the German elections, the AfD, previously labeled as "far-right," might break free from political quarantine. If they finish in second place behind the CDU/CSU, it could even rewrite the current expectations around government formation negotiations there,
noted Szantho.
However, whatever happens—whether the AfD is reined in again or not—the genie is already out of the bottle. In my view, this is what Elon Musk’s vocal support for the party also signifies. So, the Trump effect is very real and effective in Europe as well. Fortunately, this doesn’t affect us, since we were already ‘Trumps’ even before Trump himself!
remarked the Center for Fundamental Rights director-general.
According to Matt Schlapp, Germany should cooperate more closely with its European neighbors. The country’s current politics follow a globalist trajectory, but the president of the CPAC Foundation believes it is crucial for this to change.
I’d like German voters to send a message to their government that they are not happy with the current direction,
Schlapp emphasized.
As for the Brussels elite, however, the tables have turned, as Miklos Szantho put it: "It’s clear that without the support of Washington Democrats, the ground is slipping out from under the feet of the EU elite."
Unfortunately, reality and the perception of Brussels Eurocrats are two very different things, but rest assured, the former will override the latter. Migration, border and child protection, the war in Ukraine—these are all issues where the new American leadership and the Hungarian Right are in agreement. It’s just that in Europe, we’re still punished for it,
highlighted the director-general
He believes it likely that Trump "won’t handle the EU with kid gloves," and the question is whether the Union will even be considered a negotiating partner in discussions on key global issues.
As an EU member, this might not seem like good news for us, but thanks to the relationship between the new US president and the Hungarian prime minister—which goes far beyond a typical alliance—as well as key elements of Hungary’s grand strategy, such as inter-connectivity and economic neutrality, I believe Hungary will have sufficient geopolitical wiggle room to balance the situation and even profit from it,
said Szantho.
Many countries hoped Trump would win because they believed this would start the countdown, and their politicians would be brave enough to say: leave the children alone, stop illegal migration, and it’s okay to be proud of your nation. People want their politicians to be courageous,
noted Matt Schlapp.
One issue where Trump and the current EU leadership clearly disagree—but Washington and Budapest stand on the same side—is the matter of achieving a ceasefire and peace negotiations in Ukraine as soon as possible.
Von der Leyen and her team will have to make a U-turn, and the damage caused by escalating the war will be immeasurable. At the same time, if Trump’s peace mission succeeds, it will bring countless benefits to Hungary—not least in terms of the Hungarian people’s wallets,
Miklos Szantho pointed out.
I am very optimistic that a ceasefire will be reached,
said Matt Schlapp, who described it as tragic that the Biden administration wasn’t even willing to consider the issue of a ceasefire. "Many young Ukrainians have died because the Democratic leadership wanted this war," he added.
Donald Trump’s inauguration will open a new era in US–Hungarian relations, the two experts concluded.
Beyond cultural or world view similarities, the most important thing is that Hungary also benefits economically from its relationship with the United States. Unfortunately, in recent years, political pressure from the White House has also weighed on economic relations—and this was not Hungary’s fault. This includes visa restrictions or the unilateral termination of the dual tax exemption agreement, which, incidetly, the Biden administration kept in place with Russia. Trump will reverse these decisions, and with the general improvement in relations, I believe investment flows will also gain new momentum,
opined Miklos Szantho.
According to Matt Schlapp, the improvement in relations will benefit both countries, but Hungary stands to gain more, as it could attract more American investments as a result.
Trump can do a lot to bring about change in America, and the real European Right is already at Brussels’s gates. But we can only put an end to the West’s cultural, geopolitical, and competitiveness decline together. Only together can we usher in the age of patriots!
concluded Miklos Szantho.
Cover photo: Matt Schlapp, President of the American CPAC Foundation, and Miklos Szantho, Director-General of the Center for Fundamental Rights (Photo: Center for Fundamental Rights)
