During a gathering at the White House on Friday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán humorously remarked about Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, drawing laughter from those in attendance. This light-hearted moment occurred amidst a serious meeting with top officials.

Orbán, alongside former President Donald Trump and key figures from both the Hungarian and U.S. governments, convened in the Cabinet Room to discuss a range of pressing issues. The agenda included the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as broader European concerns and bilateral relations.

During the discussions, a reporter challenged Trump on his efforts to reduce consumer prices in the United States. In response, Trump turned to Leavitt, asking her to clarify and counter what he described as a mischaracterization by the media.

“Karoline, could you address that question and the manner in which it was posed by the fake news?” the former president requested, prompting Leavitt to take the floor.

Leavitt promptly detailed the administration’s initiatives aimed at cost reduction, emphasizing Trump’s commitment to affordability. “He signed the largest middle-class tax cut in record time, within six months,” she explained. “This is precisely why the American people elected him, and he is delivering on that promise, despite the media’s reluctance to report it.”

‘He signed the largest middle-class tax cut in six months, in six months, in record time,’ she said. ‘So affordability is what the American people elected the president to do, and he is doing it, and you guys refuse to cover it.’

‘The previous administration created the worst unaffordability crisis in American history. And I’ve been watching the TV all day, saying that he [Trump] doesn’t want to talk about affordability. That’s what he’s working on every day.’

Her decisive response clearly impressed the Hungarian leader, who immediately joked that he’d like to hire Leavitt, telling the room, ‘Can I get her for some months?’

‘Karoline, could you discuss that question that was asked and how it was asked in such a fake, disgusting manner by the fake news?’ the president requested after getting an inquiry on affordability in the US

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán joked during a White House meeting Friday that he’d like to hire White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt after she defended Trump’s efforts to bring down costs for US consumers

‘Can I get her for some months?’ the Hungarian leader joked after Leavitt’s sharp answer

Trump liked the quip, saying, ‘Karoline, the prime minister would like you to work for him in Hungary.’

Orbán shot back to the press secretary: ‘Please consider it.’

Leavitt later posted on social media, thanking the leader for his remarks.

‘Thank you Prime Minister Orban for being so kind, but I’m staying right here,’ she posted on X.

Orbán also told Trump during the meeting that it would take a ‘miracle’ for Ukraine to win the war against Russia.

Seated next to Orbán in the Cabinet Room, the president expressed optimism that ‘we’re going to get that war ended in the not-too-distant future.’

Trump’s second meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was supposed to be held in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, with Orbán hosting, but it got scrapped last month, days after it was announced, as negotiations stalled. 

Orbán said one major issue is that the Europeans have a ‘different approach to the war,’ as the Hungarian leader has said that Ukraine should cede territory to Russia to gain a ceasefire.

‘A miracle can happen,’ Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orbán (left) responded when asked by President Donald Trump (right) Friday in the Cabinet Room if he believed that Ukraine cannot win the war

President Donald Trump (left) is captured greeting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán (right) outside the West Wing on Friday, which marked Orbán’s first visit to the White House during Trump’s second term 

He said Hungary and the United States were ‘the only pro-peace’ governments. 

‘All the other governments prefer to continue the war, because many of them think that Ukraine can win on the front line, which is a misunderstanding of the situation,’ the Hungarian leader said.

Trump then asked, ‘So you would say that Ukraine cannot win that war?’

‘A miracle can happen,’ Orbán replied.  

Trump has gone back and forth on whether he believes Ukraine can win, as his relationship with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has veered from nasty to nice. 

In September, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Trump made the surprising pronouncement that he even thought Ukraine could win on the battlefield.   

‘I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and win all of Ukraine back in its original form,’ Trump said at the time. 

But weeks later, Trump shifted his position, suggesting such a victory would be tough.

He expressed more optimism for a Ukrainian win when things were especially sour with Putin. 

On Friday, Trump said the Putin meeting in Budapest didn’t happen because Russia wasn’t ready to end the war. 

‘The basic dispute is they just don’t want to stop yet,’ the president answered.  

‘And I think they will,’ Trump also offered.

Last month, Trump put more pressure on Russia to stop the fighting by upping sanctions. 

He sanctioned two of Russia’s largest energy companies, a move that complicated his relationship with Orbán due to Hungary continuing to purchase Russian fuel. 

On Friday, Trump was sympathetic to Orbán’s plight, noting how Hungary is landlocked.

‘We’re looking at it,’ the president said. ‘Because it’s very difficult for him to get the oil and gas from other areas, as you know, they don’t have the advantage of having sea, it’s a great country, it’s a big country, but they don’t have sea, they don’t have the ports.’ 

Trump then slammed other European countries that were still buying oil from Russia.

‘And as they know, I’m very disturbed by that, because we’re helping them, and they’re going and buying oil and gas from Russia,’ Trump said.