Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán claimed on Friday that George Soros-backed "civil society organizations" are trying to get more money from European nations, now that the Trump administration is dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, reported Breitbart.
Orbán posted on X, "WARNING! Our fears have come true: the globalist-liberal-Soros NGO [nongovernmental organization] network is fleeing to Brussels, after President [Donald] Trump dealt a huge blow to their activities in the US. Now 63 of them are asking Brussels for money, under the guise of various human rights projects. Not going to happen! We will not let them find safe haven in Europe! The USAID-files exposed the dark practices of the globalist network. We will not take the bait again!"
The Orbán reference to USAID is directed at the Trump administration spending and budget review of the agency. Trump has blocked millions of dollars in spending on what he says are unnecessary if not fraudulent accounts and programs. Actions related to that administration policy continue.
A federal judge on Friday cleared the way for the Trump administration to pull thousands of USAID staffers off the job.
U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols removed his temporary block on the effort to remove all but a small fraction of USAID staffers from their posts and give those abroad a 30-day deadline to move back to the U.S. at government expense.
The Trump administration and the cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency tied to billionaire Elon Musk have moved swiftly to shutter USAID, asserting that its work is wasteful and out of line with the president’s agenda.
Orban has ordered his government to work to close down what he considers questionable nongovernmental organizations and some media outlets reportedly found to have accepted funding from USAID, according to Breitbart.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.