Feb. 26, 2026 Editor, The News-Gazette: Not in my adult lifetime do I remember a president of the United States endorsing candidates for election in our European allies. Now President Trump has endorsed Victor Orban as prime minister of Hungary and Robert Fico in Slovakia. Both officials are close to Vladimir Putin. Both have threatened to cut off electricity to Ukraine.
In 1989, I had the opportunity to witness the overthrow of communism in Eastern Europe. Hungary and Czechoslovakia led the incredible adoption of democracy. I will never forget meeting the new president of Czechoslovakia, Vaclav Havel. President George H.W. Bush welcomed the new democratic leaders to the United States.
Those were the days my friends. How did we now get here? DON HASFURTHER Lexington
