The US ambassador in Budapest has accused the government of Hungary’s far-right prime minister, Viktor Orbán, of using a “machinery of fear” to launch legal and rhetorical attacks on the LGBTQ community. “Fear is something those who seek to undermine democracy trade on, and their currency is too often you and your families,” David Pressman said at a family Pride event at the ambassador’s residence. In 2021, Hungary adopted controversial legislation that bans the display and promotion of homosexuality in material accessible to minors. The move prompted the European Commission to refer Hungary to the EU’s top court, arguing that the law violates fundamental rights and the bloc’s values.