It is no secret that many Hungarians cannot wait until the current U.S. ambassador in Budapest packs his bags and heads back to the States. And all of us — Americans and non-Americans alike here on the ground — are praying we get a competent person who understands the role of diplomat and seeks to build bridges, instead of burning them.
In light of this, the Hungarian Conservative news portal has decided to put forward some possible replacements to current Ambassador David Pressman. The potential candidates according to an anonymous source? Nancy Brinker, David Cornstein and Bryan Leib.
First off, Nancy Brinker, former ambassador to Hungary under George W. Bush. Aside from standing up for the issue of trafficked workers in the region during her tenure here, Brinker, the founding chairwoman of the Susan G. Komen foundation for the search for a breast cancer cure, led the first “pink ribbon” march in Hungary across Chain Bridge, lit up in pink for the occasion; the event has taken place every year since. She was awarded a Hungarian Order of Merit and is currently the WHO’s Ambassador for Cancer Control.
Still, Brinker seems to be a bit old guard for the fresh, anti-establishment blood Trump is filling his posts with. Which takes us to Bryan Leib, a senior fellow with Budapest’s Center for Fundamental Rights and CEO of conservative PR firm Henry Public Relations. Leib also ran in the Republican primaries to represent Florida’s 25th district in the House this past August.
Leib was just last month featured in a short blurb on Hungary’s government site, for a discussion he had with Péter Sztáray, the secretary of state responsible for security policy and energy security of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, during the Second Pro-Israel Summit hosted by the Center for Fundamental Rights, a meeting he proudly posted about on his X account.
He has also been an active voice in welcoming Pressman’s departure, as showcased in Hungarian Conservative’s piece with a post from Leib highlighting his early 2024 interview with the portal entitled “The Center’s Bryan Leib Is on a Mission to Make US–Hungary Relations Great Again.” In his post, he calls out “activist” Pressman for another “unhinged rant,” saying that Trump will appoint someone who is “the polar opposite” of the current ambassador.
“It’s no secret that I would be honored to serve in that role. It’s time to make US-Hungarian Relations Great Again!” he added.
He also just today had this update:
Leib is young, familiar with the country, and already part of the political fabric and conservatives here on the ground who are aligned with Trump’s agenda, so his appointment makes sense.
Lastly, the Hungarian Conservative named long-time Trump friend David Cornstein, and I admit, this I find confusing. First of all, the avid businessman, dedicated New Yorker, and philanthropist, is 86. All power to people to keep on going and pursuing interests, but during his previous tenure as ambassador to Hungary under Trump, Cornstein announced in September 2020 that he would be vacating his post on Nov. 1, just before the presidential election.
All in all, he served just over two years in Budapest. His tenure was furthermore overshadowed by the whole CEU debacle and criticism of his supposedly overtly friendly relationship with Orbán, not to mention some spending questions profiled by the New York Times.
There was never any clear reason why Cornstein stepped away from his duties early, but his departure leaves you wondering why he would be considered for another round.
The Hungarian Conservative notes that Cornstein has made it clear, as has Orbán, that “Trump is the person who can end the war in Ukraine,” but any Trump supporter believes that.
Whoever arrives at the posting representing America at Szabadság tér will be stellar compared to the previous representative. There is no doubt about that. I for one, hope someone can take the opportunity to respect the country they are in, promote positive and constructive relations, and understand how to smooth feathers when and if needed, not ruffle them more.
