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David Pressman

@ambpressman.bsky.social
333 followers 57 following 11 posts

Former United States Ambassador to Hungary & United States Ambassador to the United Nations Security Council. @AmbPressman

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Reposted by David Pressman
Washington Post Opinions @postopinions.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
"Yale’s board members will own — as individuals — whatever Yale does next,” writes former U.S. education secretary @arneduncan.bsky.social and former U.S. ambassador to Hungary @ambpressman.bsky.social.
wapo.st
Opinion | Yale’s trustees face a decision with profound consequences
A lesson from Hungary: Boards don't capitulate to authoritarians. The people on them do.
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David Pressman @ambpressman.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Orban personalized to intimidate the powerless; the foes of government intrusion must personalize to demand accountability from people with maximal power, resources and protection….So we address Yale’s trustees directly wapo.st/3RW4HPo
wapo.st
Opinion | Yale’s trustees face a decision with profound consequences
A lesson from Hungary: Boards don't capitulate to authoritarians. The people on them do.
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Reposted by David Pressman
The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 15/04/2026
"Magyar wasn't engaging in a policy debate... His framing was Viktor Orbán and Fidesz are a criminal organization and we need to dismantle this... he connected the impact of the criminal organization to these rural Hungarians' experience." @ambpressman.bsky.social on how Magyar beat Orbán.
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Center for American Progress @americanprogress.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
@ambpressman.bsky.social: Under Viktor Orbán's authoritarian rule, the cost of a democratic vote was "extremely high"—reminiscent of developments we're now seeing under the Trump administration.
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The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 15/04/2026
"Péter Magyar wasn’t calling out individual abuses. He was calling out an entire platform that was designed to enrich a kleptocratic elite and the family of Viktor Orbán." Important takeaways for us from @ambpressman.bsky.social:
lnk.thebulwark.com
Cali Dems Need to Get Their Sh*t Together
At this point, Gov. Tom Steyer might be the least bad outcome.
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Michelle Goldberg @michellegoldberg.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
Hello from Budapest, where the right wing expats are feeling glum www.nytimes.com/2026/04/11/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | First There Was Viktor Orban. Then Donald Trump. Now Both Are Flailing.
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David Pressman @ambpressman.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
With Putin in his corner and Vance on his doorstep… whatever services Orbán is providing, he’s got two very satisfied customers in Moscow and Mar-a-Lago. wapo.st/4v10TeD
wapo.st
To tilt Hungarian election, Russians proposed staging assassination attempt
To aid Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a friend of Russia, in his election, operatives proposed “the Gamechanger” — a staged assassination attempt to stir supporters.
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David Pressman @ambpressman.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Instrumentalizing one of America’s more powerful foreign policy tools to punish critics and reward loyalists. Some thoughts on sanctions, corruption, and Hungary on Morning Edition:
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Reposted by David Pressman
Inside Higher Ed @insidehighered.com · 27/02/2026
At Annual @aceducation.bsky.social Meeting, a Call to Uphold Higher Ed’s Mission The former ambassador to Hungary raised a stark warning about the authoritarian similarities between President Trump and Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. bit.ly/46sKOUd #AcademicSky #HigherEd #EDUSky
From left: Arne Duncan, David Pressman and Ted Mitchell in conversation.
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Jameel Jaffer @jameeljaffer.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
"Appeasement is being coordinated while resistance is not" is exactly right. (This op-ed from Arne Duncan and David Pressman is excellent; I hope university leaders will read it.) www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
washingtonpost.com
Opinion | Universities are sending Trump a dangerous message
Higher education is under attack. Drop the appeasement.
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Sen. Adam Schiff @schiff.senate.gov · 12/02/2026
Accommodation does not moderate authoritarian regimes, it emboldens them. An important reminder that college and university leaders must fight to protect our democracy and intellectual freedom on college campuses. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...
washingtonpost.com
Opinion | Universities are sending Trump a dangerous message
Higher education is under attack. Drop the appeasement.
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Michael S Roth @msroth.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
Read @arneduncan.bsky.social @ambpressman.bsky.social "When institutional self-preservation replaces moral leadership, universities abandon their core mission. This is a striking abdication of responsibility..from leaders entrusted with educating the next generation of citizens." wapo.st/4qomlXe
wapo.st
Opinion | Universities are sending Trump a dangerous message
Higher education is under attack. Drop the appeasement.
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Reposted by David Pressman
Washington Post Opinions @postopinions.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
"Silence is not neutrality; it is permission," @arneduncan.bsky.social and @ambpressman.bsky.social write. wapo.st/45YQ01X
wapo.st
Opinion | Universities are sending Trump a dangerous message
Higher education is under attack. Drop the appeasement.
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David Pressman @ambpressman.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
“…appeasement is being coordinated while resistance is not.” Some thoughts on authoritarianism and higher education with Secretary @arneduncan.bsky.social in the Washington Post. wapo.st/4qomlXe
wapo.st
Opinion | Universities are sending Trump a dangerous message
Higher education is under attack. Drop the appeasement.
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David Pressman @ambpressman.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
Looking forward to joining @global-affairs.bsky.social for this discussion on illiberalism.
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David Pressman @ambpressman.bsky.social · 08/11/2025
Lawyers, universities, and execs think they’re satisfying the President’s ego by performing a little lie, by doing something in a “deal” they’d do anyway. But as in Hungary, these “deals” are the dead man’s walk of the one thing our democracy can’t live without: independence time.com/7332003/vikt...
time.com
Viktor Orbán and Donald Trump’s Attacks on Independence
Independence is "fundamental to the health of any democracy—and it has been systematically dismantled in Hungary."
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David Pressman @ambpressman.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
Some thoughts in Time on the Orban/Trump meeting today. "Theirs is a war not so much on liberals or even just a war on independent institutions (central to any democracy), but on the very idea that anything is ever “independent.”' time.com/7332003/vikt...
time.com
Viktor Orbán and Donald Trump’s Attacks on Independence
Independence is "fundamental to the health of any democracy—and it has been systematically dismantled in Hungary."
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David Pressman @ambpressman.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
Next week, Hungarians will honor those who sacrificed all to rid Hungary of an aggressive Russian empire in '56. Yes, POTUS visiting Hungary is a huge political favor to Orban. But rolling out the red carpet for a war criminal is ultimately a massive favor to Putin, again facilitated by Orban.
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Reposted by David Pressman
Protect Democracy @protectdemocracy.org · 30/07/2025
What we're reading: This chilling piece from a former U.S. ambassador to Hungary, David Pressman. "I came to understand that the real danger of a strongman isn’t his tactics; it’s how others, especially those with power, justify their acquiescence.” www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/o...
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John Sipher @johnsipher.bsky.social · 27/07/2025
“After years watching Hungary suffocate under the weight of its democratic collapse, I came to understand that the real danger of a strongman isn’t his tactics; it’s how others, especially those with power, justify their acquiescence.” (gift article) www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | I Watched It Happen in Hungary. Now It’s Happening Here.
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Kim Lane Scheppele @kimlanelaw.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
David Pressman was a terrific and brave ambassador in Hungary, modeling the best of American values. His analysis is very worth reading! www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | I Watched It Happen in Hungary. Now It’s Happening Here.
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Alexander S. Vindman @avindman.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
Good read from Amb. David Pressman | I Watched It Happen in Hungary. Now It’s Happening Here. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | I Watched It Happen in Hungary. Now It’s Happening Here.
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Kate Shaw @kateshaw.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
Urgent piece by @ambpressman.bsky.social about the dangers of capitulation to the administration - we know from Hungary what happens when “those best positioned to uphold democratic norms chose the comfort of an illusion over the courage of action”
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David Pressman @ambpressman.bsky.social · 23/07/2025
Democracies collapse not just through force, but through the naïve self-confidence of elites. What should alarm us isn’t that strongmen follow similar playbooks, but that our elites do too. www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | I Watched It Happen in Hungary. Now It’s Happening Here.
The real danger of a strongman isn’t his tactics; it’s how others, especially those with power, justify their acquiescence.
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David Pressman @ambpressman.bsky.social · 01/05/2025
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Matthew Hay Brown @matthewhaybrown.bsky.social · 23/03/2025
TRUMP IS INSPIRING AUTOCRATS AROUND THE WORD to roll back human rights, democratic rights and the rule of law. Some are giving him credit @anthonyfaiola.bsky.social reports www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
washingtonpost.com
Autocrats roll back rights and rule of law — and cite Trump’s example
Trump’s statements, policies and actions are providing cover for attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, freedom of expression and the rule of law around the world.
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Hellebore @moyers.bsky.social · 23/03/2025
Autocrats roll back rights and rule of law — and cite Trump’s example Orban noted Biden’s ambassador to 🇭🇺 David Pressman, a fierce Orban critic directly challenged the democratic backsliding — and made a point of participating in Budapest Pride, an event w/ 35K people to 🇭🇺 capital, to protect it.
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Reposted by David Pressman
María Ramírez @mariaramirez.bsky.social · 23/03/2025
“Orban himself noted that the Biden administration’s ambassador to Hungary made a point of participating in Budapest Pride, an event that has brought 35,000 people to the Hungarian capital, to protect it.” www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
washingtonpost.com
Autocrats roll back rights and rule of law — and cite Trump’s example
Trump’s statements, policies and actions are providing cover for attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, freedom of expression and the rule of law around the world.
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David Pressman @ambpressman.bsky.social · 09/03/2025
www.cnn.com/2025/03/07/T...
cnn.com
Amanpour | CNN
David Pressman, former US Ambassador to Hungary, talks to Christiane Amanpour about Budapest sliding toward autocracy, and Prime Minister Orban’s unusual relationship with President Trump.
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Reposted by David Pressman
Szabolcs Panyi @szabolcspanyi.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
💰🇷🇺🛢️ PM Viktor Orbán negotiated an exemption from EU sanctions on Russian pipeline oil, “and in 2022, arbitraged the price and made $2.2 billion that then went into his government and… to this oligarch network.” Orbán is simply pro-Kremlin "for power and money," @ambpressman.bsky.social explains.
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Laura Rozen @lkrozen.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
“In fact, what's happening in Hungary isn't conservativism; it's corruption. It’s a system that's designed to enrich a clique of elites to take public assets & put them in private pockets, while talking” up conservative values, ex US ambassador David Pressman told NPR
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Lulu NYT @lulugnavarro.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
From Amb David Pressman
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Reposted by David Pressman
Lulu NYT @lulugnavarro.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
An urgent and important exclusive interview with the outgoing US ambassador to Hungary. www.nytimes.com/2025/01/16/m...
nytimes.com
‘The Interview’: Ambassador David Pressman Is Alarmed by What He Has Seen (Gift Article)
Ambassador David Pressman talks about his contentious relationship with Viktor Orban’s administration and why what happens in Hungary matters.
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