US President Donald Trump on Friday said European Union leaders should show more respect to Hungary's right-wing prime minister, Viktor Orban, who has thumbed his nose at them over migration.
"I think they should respect Hungary and respect this leader very, very strongly because he's been right on immigration," Trump told reporters as he met Orban at the White House.
Trump, who has carried out a sweeping crackdown on immigration at home, again alleged a link between migrants and crime, which is not backed up by statistics in the United States.
"Look what's happened to Europe with the immigration. They have people flooding Europe," Trump said.
Putting the issue of immigration to Europe in more starkly racial terms, Trump said "You go to some of the countries, they're unrecognizable now because of what they've done. And Hungary is very recognizable."
Orban defended his opposition to migration and lashed out at financial penalties imposed by the European Union on Hungary for defying the bloc.
"This is the absurd world we are living in now in Europe," Orban said.
"We are the only government in Europe which considers itself as a Christian government. All the other governments in Europe are basically liberal leftist governments," Orban said.
Trump said he was looking at a possible exemption for Hungary from sanctions on Russian oil due to the country's reliance on energy from the region.
"We're looking at it because it's very difficult for him to get the oil and gas from other areas," Trump told reporters during a meeting where he welcomed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to the White House.
