“Hungary’s Voice is Respected”, Says Acting U.S. Ambassador Robert Palladino in Exclusive Interview

Acting U.S. Ambassador Robert Palladino during the Hungary Today Interview

We are glad to share an interview with Mr. Robert Palladino, Acting Ambassador at the U.S. Embassy Budapest. The interview was conducted in the historic Villa Róheim in Budapest through the generosity of the Hungarian Corvin Chain and Prof. E Sylvester Vizi, founding member of the Hungarian Transatlantic Council, and former President of the Friends of Hungary Foundation. The interview was conducted by Daniel Deme, editor-in-chief of Hungary Today and Ungarn Heute.

As the new Chargé d’Affairs, you have landed in a political-diplomatic context marked by tensions between the Hungarian government and the former White House. How did you succeed in navigating this difficult diplomatic environment and reaffirm the USA’s commitment to healing, developing bilateral relations? 

Thank you for the kind invitation today, it is a pleasure to be here. When I first arrived, I knew that my priority was to rebuild trust and open a new chapter in U.S.-Hungary relations. It is no secret that diplomatic relations during the previous administration were anything but diplomatic. My approach has been a back-to-basics diplomacy. That means showing up, listening, leading with respect, not with lectures. Since day one of my arrival, I have made a point that this relationship is not transactional. It is based on more fundamental values and based on mutual trust. It is based on sovereignty and shared heritage.

We are starting with that premise that has allowed Hungary and the United States to focus on a common ground and common interests. Things like commerce and investment, defense, and people-to-people exchanges. Focusing on what we share in common and what we value together has really allowed the United Sates to reinvigorate and renew American commitment to Hungary. The warmth that you can detect in the relations right now, and frankly the momentum that exists – that is all real, and it comes from the very top.

Listen to the entire interview via the audio file below:

Do you reckon that you have been able to bridge the two usual bubbles and sides of the political spectrum in Hungary and speak to all parties here? Are they willing to listen?

Diplomats must talk to everybody, and we have made a conscious choice to engage all aspects of Hungarian society. We are interested in pulling the United States – Hungary relationship forward, and we are making real progress.

Expectations of your arrival were very high. What was the most frequent question or request that you heard after you came? Was there a recurring topic among them?

 A common theme that I have heard is “what will you do”, which related to your very first question in many ways. What will the United State do to “undo” some of the harms that were put in place during the previous administration. Frankly, in that regard, we have made a lot of concrete, measurable progress.

I arrived just six months ago, and in six months, much of that harm that was put into place during the previous administration, we have been able to undo. We have made substantial progress. For example, direct flights between Budapest and the United States – that is going to have a major impact on businesses, families, on the flow of people between our nations. That is progress.

We have completely restored the Visa-waiver program, and that is a huge accomplishment. That means when people want to go to the United States, they will have to apply for ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). Regardless where a Hungarian citizen is born, they are now eligible to apply. Furthermore, we have increased the validity of ESTA from one to two years, and it is also multiple entries now, whereas it used to be only one entry. We have removed political irritants, we have provided sanctions relief for a Hungarian minister, for a Hungarian nuclear power plant. We have done all those quite quickly. When you think about how long it takes to accomplish things in government work, then these are big ones.

You have asked what is a common theme that has been raised, or common problem that is cited. The lack of a bilateral tax treaty is something that people and businesses raise frequently. It is a concern that I hear often when talking both to American citizens and American businesses that are operating here, to Hungarians who are trying to invest in the United States. Letting the treaty expire during the previous administration has caused harm. We continue to work at the highest levels to advocate for renegotiation of the treaty.

These are some examples of the progress that we have made, the progress that we hope to make, and I would also say that we have expanded some of our people-to-people contacts. To our Fulbright academic exchanges we have added a new program with HUN-REN whereby we are exchanging scientists between the United States and Hungary. This kind of people-to-people exchange is important for our countries.

The question that I personally hear most often is whether we are going to get a new ambassador? There is so much speculation about why we do not have one yet. Can you please give us an update on this or tell us why the State Department is not moving the process forward?

It is actually not the State Department, under our Constitution the President of the United State nominates an ambassador and then the Senate confirms. I am the “chargé d’affairs”, which is a fancy French word meaning the “acting ambassador”. Secretary Rubio has asked me to come here, and to work on beginning this new chapter of relations between our countries. I will continue to work to do so, we have got a lot to do to increase opportunities for both Hungarians and Americans. I will continue to pursue that.

You have mentioned that there has been tangible progress during the short period that you have been here. And it is not only the disappearance of the past toxic rhetoric between the two countries, business and cultural relations are also starting to move forward. What would be the greatest thing that you think could be the fundament for our future relationship that is currently being worked on at the U.S. Embassy, or indeed by the administration in Washington? Where is the most emphasis in rebuilding this relationship?

For me I would say, one thing that could propel this relationship forward to even bigger heights would be a meeting between the leaders. I have nothing to announce today, but I will say, we are working hard on this objective. The relationship between our leaders is strong, and when our leaders get together, that drives progress on many different fronts. That is a great way to galvanize both governments to come to agreement on important aspects of our relationship – from energy, commerce to defense and education or agreements regarding space. When leaders meet it can drive results and create even further momentum. I remain optimistic.

Viktor Orbán has spent considerable political capital in standing up for Donald Trump throughout the difficult 2023-24 years, expectations were high that this should become a positive factor in American-Hungarian relations should Mr. Trump return to the White House. Yet there remains a certain imbalance in terms of support from Washington. Why? Is this a temporary phenomenon? 

There are two parts to your question. The first part has to do with the relationship between the Prime Minister and the President. I would say that that indeed is very close. There is great respect and admiration between our leaders. The second part, when you had talked about an “imbalance”. I would respectfully disagree that there is an imbalance. Just last week Foreign Secretary Péter Szijjártó spoke to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. This has just been one of many high-level engagements between our governments. The Foreign Minister afterwards said that we have entered into a totally new dimension in relations between Hungary and the United States. One that is dominated by friendship and by mutual respect.

Photo: Hungary Today

So this is not wishful thinking from the Hungarian part…

This is not wishful thinking! I completely agree with the Foreign Minister. This is real! This is President Trump’s first year in a four-year term. We are still early in this presidency, yet we have seen an incredible amount of progress: in commerce, energy, defense, space and even education. We are working across many different areas together, and there is a desire on both sides very much to show that the relationship between our leaders is producing tangible results for the Hungarian and American people.

There is a momentum, it is flowing both ways. I feel it in Hungary daily, frankly. The Hungarian government has been incredibly welcoming, the doors for all ministries are open to American officials, and that includes me. You can sense the difference by which Hungary is treating the United States. At the same time, in Washington, Hungary’s voice is respected. Hungary’s policies are valued. For a middle-sized nation in Europe, Hungary wields incredible weight in the United States. That is because of the clarity and conviction of its policies.

The new State Department Human Rights Report gives Hungary an almost clean bill of health in contrast with previous years. Is this a sign that previous reports were politically conditioned, politically biased?

If you speak to the same critics every year, you are going to produce a biased report. We are doing things differently. We are taking a very deliberate and conscious approach to this, and we are seeking a broader engagement as we work on this report. The report is based not only on a broader engagement but on a deeper understanding of the actual Hungarian context.

The purpose of the report is not to be political. It is to provide a fair, accurate assessment and that is to serve the basis for a constructive dialogue between nations. We think we have done that with this year’s report. We have right-sized the analysis and we have created a new base-line. It is much fairer, based less on polemics and more on reality. Based upon what will allow us to have a stronger partnership driving forward.

Soft power – new, fragile democracies in Central Europe are seeking a political paradigm with national interest, sovereignty, respect for self-determination as its key elements. Is America going to be able to transform itself back into a power that can offer an alliance based on these values? 

We have talked about values, soft power, the power to inspire, to attract others. America has been based upon sovereignty and self-determination, democracy for a very long time. These are the values that we believe in, ones that are powerful and continue to resonate, especially in places like Hungary and this part of Europe. We have an “America first” policy, but America first does not mean “America alone”. We are very much working with other nations that share our values, our commitment to sovereignty or security. Hungary is a good example of a nation like this, where its focus on sovereignty very much aligns with the American mission to make nations stronger and more secure, prosperous. That is the basis on which we are going to be able to build a stronger trans-Atlantic partnership.

The promotion and focus on securing borders, promoting faith and protecting families, on safeguarding and cherishing traditions, this is not authoritarianism. This is self-government. This is the basis upon which the United States and Hungary find common ground and frankly find inspiration. We are showing that we can work together, we can have a more efficient governance, and we can increase cooperation. We can do so in a way that is certainly no threat to the West. Things like secure borders and protecting families – these are reminders to the West of what made it great. This is the kind of soft-power, and these are the kind of values upon which we can find common ground.

Mr. Palladino at a reception preceding the Hungarian Summit. Photo: Hungary Today

Due to constant pressure from the EU, Hungary has opened its economy towards the East. Energy resources from Russia, growing trade relations with China and strategic alliance with Turkey. Is this going to represent a stumbling block in future relations? 

The United States respects Hungary’s sovereignty. We respect Hungary’s decisions to pursue diverse economic and diplomatic ties. At the same time we view Hungary as an ally and as a friend. We want the best for Hungary, we want it to be as safe, strong and secure and prosperous as possible. When it comes to matters of energy, energy is security and sovereignty. We believe that Hungary’s long-term interests to diversify is energy is something that we stand ready to assist with.

As far as commercial relations and trade go, the United States is one of the largest investors here in Hungary. There are 1500 American firms employing a hundred thousand people. That makes the United States the second largest investor in terms of the number of jobs created, and the third largest investor based upon value alone. This year will be a record high trade volume between our nations. When I talk to companies and people who work for American companies, I often hear the same things: American companies are extremely valued because they bring high-quality jobs with opportunity for promotion and training. They are strong members of Hungarian communities that contribute to those communities and are good neighbors. This is very much welcomed by the Hungarian people.

Beyond these strategic considerations I would go one step further to say that the bond between Hungary and the United States is even bigger than things like energy and trade. This relationship is based upon a civilizational alliance.

The new Trump admin tends to speak about Europe in a homogenizing manner, putting Hungary in one basket with declining yet still dominant powers of the EU. All this despite the fact that our country has remained consistently on the side of common-sense policies that the Trump admin now pursues with great vigor. Can we expect a more discerning approach from the White House in the future that reflects this fact?

There is great respect and admiration for Hungary in Washington: its perseverance, the historic ties between our nations, etc. Within this administration there is a lot of admiration for the policies that Hungary has put into place, policies that are not always popular in other capitals. The willingness to put Hungarian people first, in many ways this has set an example and inspired American policies. There is already an understanding that this small to middle-sized country in Central Europe is punching well above its weight. Hungary looms large in the American imagination, it shows the way for Europe to remember what made it great. It is something that we very much value.

At the Friends of Hungary Foundation, publishers of our news portals, our job is to keep in touch with the Hungarian diaspora around the world, especially with the one in America. The question they often ask is – how can they help Hungarian American relations? How can we bring our nations together? The question implies, to some degree, that there is not a strong enough Hungarian lobby in Washington. What would you tell these American Hungarians?

I would tell them, first of all, that Hungary has incredible influence in Washington, they get access that many other countries would love to have. Hungary has done an exceptional job at cultivating ties with people who are influential and wield a real significant influence in a way that is bringing our nations closer together. Any given time here in Budapest you have a very high number of (American) public intellectuals, academics, researchers who are meeting with their Hungarian counterparts, and then they are going back to Washington, often times serving in the United States government. This is significant and not something that I have seen replicated by other nations. Hungary for its size is influential.

The second thing I would tell them is that this year we are going to celebrate 250 years of the United States. There are a lot of opportunities to highlight all the contributions of Hungarian Americans. What they have done for the United States, as well as shared history between the U.S. and Hungary. All of that celebration and reckoning about what is truly important about our nation’s founding is going to be a very strong opportunity to remind people of the strong contributions of the Hungarian people.

Meeting Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó (L) earlier this year. Photo: Facebook Robert Palladino

How can we future-proof the relations so that we do not have to reboot it, start from ground zero every time we have governments that do not see eye-to-eye? What can we do to make this relationship more resilient?

Let us take advantage of what is blossoming into a golden era now between our countries. We have a real opportunity to build upon this momentum and to expand the ties between our countries. The stronger we do that now in terms of commerce, energy, investment, defense, space and academia, the more we can push forward now these people-to-people contacts, that is what will sustain us beyond the politics of whatever administration happens to be in power.

I am also optimistic that the nature of the world is changing, countries are returning globally to more traditional diplomacy. One in which we are clearer about what the role of diplomacy ought to be. As the acting ambassador in Hungary, my mandate is clear. I am here to represent the United States and to advance American interests. My role here is not to lecture or try to recreate another country in America’s image. That kind of humility goes a long way and is in many ways beyond politics of whichever governments happen to be elected at any time. That gives me optimism that we are rethinking the way that we are going to do business.

Secondarily I am also optimistic that people are on both sides of the Atlantic slowly coming to the realization that civilization matters. Civilizational values that we share in common are so strong that so long as we nurture that what we share in common, that is going to build the kind of ties that can sustain any future divergences.

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