On Friday, Tucker Carlson delivered an address in the beautiful city of Budapest, extending his regrets on behalf of the United States for the recent comments made by U.S. Ambassador David Pressman, which criticized Hungary’s recent actions regarding the LGBTQ+ community. In his speech, Carlson praised Hungary as a prime example of a successful right-wing government.
Over the past years, the Hungarian government has enacted several legislative changes that have been scrutinized for their impact on political opposition and the rights of marginalized communities, including the LGBTQ+ population. According to political opponents, these actions have included measures that have diluted the efficacy of political dissent and have breached European Union (EU) statutes about the rights of migrants. They believe that the rights of minority groups, particularly the LGBTQ+ community, have been targeted.
Among the legislative steps taken, the Hungarian parliament endorsed statutes that not only restricted certain forms of LGBTQ+ content but also introduced a provision allowing citizens to report instances involving same-sex couples. Hungarian President Katalin Novák intervened by exercising her veto power. Novák argued that implementing such measures would run afoul of EU law and potentially trigger international concerns regarding the equitable treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals within Hungary.
David Pressman, a successful human rights lawyer and a U.S . Ambassador, employed his official position to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights within Hungary. During a Pride event in Budapest in June, Pressman spoke out against Hungarian lawmakers attempting to pass legislation that echoed dark periods in history marked by spying and betrayal among neighbors. He expressed concern that the proposed legislation, which was ultimately not enacted, sent a troubling message because it had the endorsement of the government and legislative body.
Pressman’s stance on LGBTQ+ rights, however, has not been without its share of controversy. He has attracted criticism from conservative factions within Hungary and segments of the United States for his unapologetic advocacy. During his speech, Tucker Carlson expressed his concerns about Ambassador Pressman’s actions. Carlson characterized Pressman’s behavior as despicable and unjustifiable, straying far from the established norms of diplomatic discourse. He conveyed a sense of disbelief that David Pressman was indeed pursuing the course of action he was undertaking.
Furthermore, Carlson said that such efforts contradicted the essence of democracy itself. Carlson accused Pressman of attempting to impose a narrow and specialized set of sexual politics onto Hungary, expressing his discomfort at being associated with someone who held such views.
He said no one wants someone to come into their country and tell them that boys should be girls. He said that it is not a diplomatic job to cause controversy. Their job is to promote their home country and strengthen ties. Carson said he was disgusted that Pressman was being paid with taxpayer money and that his beliefs were not those of most of the people who reside in the United States.
He emphasized that diplomacy should not be admonishing other sovereign nations merely due to differences in ideology or practice.
He wanted to tell the people of Hungary that he loved the United States, but the people who were running the United States right now were dangerous and insane, and you could see this in how the United States was treating Hungary. He said that lunatics are running the government. He believed that Hungary was being targeted by the U.S. due to its Christian beliefs.
Carlson also said the U.S. government no longer offers a better life. He said that the ruling party in the U.S. is childless, unmarried, working for low wages in big companies, living in tiny apartments, and big cities overrun with crime.
The speech delivered by Carlson garnered significant attention, rapidly spreading across social media platforms, including X (formerly known as Twitter). By the morning of Saturday, the speech had been viewed an impressive 2.8 million times, indicative of the resonance of the ideas expressed.
You can view his speech here: