Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
The United States is removing sanctions on a close aide of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, the State Department said on Tuesday, adding that the punitive measures were inconsistent with U.S. foreign policy interests. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke on Tuesday with his Hungarian counterpart, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, and informed him of the move, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement. "The Secretary informed Foreign Minister Szijjarto of senior Hungarian official Antal Rogan's removal from the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, noting that continued designation was inconsistent with U.S. foreign policy interests," Bruce said. The two also discussed strengthening U.S.-Hungary alignment on critical issues and opportunities for economic cooperation, Bruce said. Former President Joe Biden's administration before leaving office imposed sanctions on Rogan on January 7 over alleged corruption, in a move that Budapest pledged to challenge once Trump returned to the White House on January 20. Rogan is a close aide of Orban who has run his cabinet office since 2015.
First published: 23:08, 04.15.25