“Lake has defended those who have called the United States a global parasite, a nation in decline, and a top adversary that must be dealt with.”

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024

ARIZONA -– There is nothing Kari Lake won’t do or say to gain power —  including “consistently [going] to bat for authoritarian leaders across the globe,” and siding with those interested in “ending the United States’ role as a global power,” as detailed in a new report from the Copper Courier. 

Lake’s “documented pattern of her preference for authoritarian-led countries over her own” underscores the danger she poses, expanding on her record of pushing election conspiracy theories, filing court cases to overturn election results, and supporting violent insurrectionists in order to undermine American democracy for her own gains. 

Read more of Lake’s takes that include “consistently [coming] to Putin’s defense,” praising “the coolest dictator in the world,” and supporting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán who can now “change the constitution to suit his ambitions”:

Copper Courier: 38 times Kari Lake praised foreign authoritarian leaders

By: Camaron Stevenson 

September 3, 2024

Key Points: 

• While foreign policy experts point to a global rise in far-right dictators as a warning sign, some see it as a roadmap.

• Republican candidate for US Senate Kari Lake has consistently gone to bat for authoritarian leaders across the globe—and all who have vocalized a keen interest in ending the United States’ role as a global power. Lake has defended those who have called the United States a global parasite, a nation in decline, and a top adversary that must be dealt with.

• In an analysis conducted by The Copper Courier, there have been at least 40 instances of Lake siding with President of Russia Vladimir Putin, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, and Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s actions over that of the United States. She has also pledged unyielding support to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who—while not a dictator himself, has expressed open admiration for them and has made no secret of his desire to be one, should he regain the presidency….

• Below is a non-comprehensive list outlining Lake’s praise for Putin, Orbán, and Bukele, as well as a documented pattern of her preference for authoritarian-led countries over her own.

• Lake on Vladimir Putin: Dismantling democracy: Putin has led Russia as either its president or prime minister since 1999, and has sought for a “dictatorship of law” by centralizing local power under his control. He effectively took the powers of the legislative and judicial branches of government under his executive control, and has repeatedly altered Russia’s constitution to solidify his position.

• One of Putin’s main goals is to end democracies in Eastern Europe that sprang up after the fall of the USSR and bring them back under Russian control. This can most plainly be seen in the Russo-Ukranian War, in which the US has positioned itself as an ally of Ukraine.

• Several countries that have attempted to hold Russia accountable for its efforts to dismantle democracy, including the US, have discovered attempts by the Russian government to interfere with their democratic processes, such as Russia’s interference in the 2016 US presidential elections.

• Lake’s Take: Instead of siding with the US, Lake has consistently come to Putin’s defense, often spreading false information in the process.

1. Attacked former US Sen. John McCain for his opposition to Russia’s election interference.
2. Spread Russian disinformation and falsely claimed the US government “funded bio-weapon labs in Ukraine.”
3. Sided with Russia over US intelligence regarding Russia’s role in interfering with the 2016 Presidential election.
4. Called US intelligence revealing Russia’s role in interfering with the 2016 Presidential election “bogus crap.”
5. Falsely claimed Russia wanted peace with Ukraine, when in reality, Putin’s terms call for Ukraine to surrender several provinces to Russia.
6. She criticized US journalists for what she considered to be unfair portrayals of Putin.
7. Described the 2014 removal of Putin-backed Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych as a “coup.”
8. Defended Russia and accused US President Joe Biden of being “compromised” by Ukraine and China.

• Lake on Viktor Orbán: Dismantling democracy: In Hungary, Orbán has absorbed the country’s judicial branch into the executive, taken control of public media and silenced privately-owned news outlets, and established a supermajority for his party in parliament, allowing him to change the constitution to suit his ambitions.

• Orbán considers the US an adversary in his efforts to further consolidate power and spread far-right authoritarianism. To that end, Orbán has endorsed Trump’s reelection campaign.

• Lake’s Take: Orbán is seen as a role model by Lake, who has hailed his gimmicky policies to increase birth rates, defended his attacks on interracial families, and has consistently set Orbán’s Hungary on a pedestal as an exemplary nation the United States should aspire to be.

1. Lake believes Orbán to be the greatest leader in Europe, and equal to Trump.
2. She has boasted about her long, 45-minute conversations with the Hungarian Prime Minister while visiting Budapest.
3. Lake has repeatedly described her conversation with Orbán as a “life-changing” experience.
4. Claimed Orbán “delivered historic peace” through national conservatism, though other European leaders have characterized his counterintuitive peacemaking efforts as “troll diplomacy.”
5. Claimed, without evidence, that Orbán’s Christian nationalism has ushered in an era of “historic peace and prosperity” in Hungary.
6. Hailed Trump and Orbán as peacemakers, despite evidence that both support Russia’s attacks against Ukraine.
7. Incorrectly asserted that Trump and Orbán “speak the truth” and “want peace” despite ample evidence to the contrary on both claims.
8. Believes Orbán to be a protector against “dangerous times.”
9. Defended Orbán’s controversial rule as a matter of him “doing the right thing.”
10. Praised Orbán for doing “an amazing job since taking power.”
11. Attacked US journalists, including the author of this article, who have accurately described Orbán as a dictator who has justified his authoritarian rule as necessary to keep “the streets safe.”
12. Claimed, without evidence, that journalists who report negatively about Trump and Orbán are lying.
13. Described Orbán’s Hungary as something the United States should aspire to be, effectively relegating the US as inferior.
14. Defended Orbán against accusations of racism after his 2022 speech against interracial relationships and racial mixing.
15. Characterized Hungary as “thriving” and the rest of the world—including the US—as “falling apart.”
16. Came to the defense of Trump and Orbán for what Lake said was negative press coverage.
17. Adopted Trump’s self-described “America First” persona onto Orbán, calling him a “Hungary First person.”
18. Claimed Orbán’s policies help “families live well.” While he has instituted a number of tax breaks to families in Hungary, his policies have also been found to discriminate against the LGBTQ community and immigrant families. Interracial families have also been a subject of Orbán’s scorn.
19. Advocated for Orbán’s tax breaks for families be implemented in the US, despite its discriminatory nature and restriction of rights, such as access to abortions.
20. Wrote the forward to the book: “Last Warning to the West: Hungary’s Triumph Over Communism and the Woke Agenda,” where Lake propped up Hungary as a model nation that the US should emulate.
21. In “Last Warning to the West,” Lake advocated on behalf of Hungary’s sovereignty and defended Orbán from critiques from the Biden administration.
22. Praised Orbán and claimed, without evidence, that by not embracing the far-right as Hungary has, United States’ elected officials “want weakened families, weakened nations, and they want actual, total control.”
23. Falsely claimed that Hungary has no abortion laws, despite a number of restrictive laws that limit when abortion care can be administered and put a number of bureaucratic measures in between doctors and their patients.
24. Incorrectly attributed Orbán’s tax breaks to a 50% reduction in abortions. In reality, the country’s restrictive abortion laws have led to women traveling to different countries for abortion care, and a rise in unreported procedures.
25. Praised Orbán’s illegal efforts to deport migrants and asylum-seekers as the right approach to immigration reform.
26. Praised Orbán’s tax break for families with four children as a way to increase birth rates, despite the incentive only going into effect for Hungary’s wealthiest families.
27. Encouraged Americans to visit Hungary as a country to aspire to be, where they could “see happy families.”
28. Expressed “a tremendous amount of respect” for Orbán and his far-right policies.

• Lake on Nayib Bukele: Dismantling democracy: Bukele subverted El Salvador’s laws on term limits earlier this year to secure another five years in office, and has described himself as “the coolest dictator in the world.”

• During his first term, he declared a state of emergency and empowered law enforcement to act as judge, jury, and executioner. Since his declaration in 2022, 75,000 El Salvador residents—or one in every 45 adults—have been imprisoned, according to The New York Times.

• Lake’s Take: Lake has only briefly dipped her toes in Bukele’s strain of far-right authoritarianism, but quickly cozied up to him in February, where she put him at the same level as Putin and Orbán.

• “We’re watching men, people like Viktor Orbán turn things around in Hungary,” Lake said. “We’re watching El Salvador; we’re watching these nations where it looked like all hope was lost, and they’ve turned things around.”