Final Word from Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Before the start of the Nato summit yesterday in Washington, D.C., Pres. Petr Pavel visited the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank that is actively preparing for a transition to a second Trump presidency. The goal of its Project 2025 is to "rescue the country from the grip of the radical Left." Donald Trump denied any knowledge of the project, although no one really believed him. The 900-page document doesn't directly mention the Czech Republic, but it does have some harsh words for the Prague-based Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. The recent addition there of a Hungarian-language service, Szabad Európa, "falls outside the intended scope of RFE/RL's charter by targeting a democratically elected, pro-American European and Nato ally," according to the document. So if Trump wins the Nov. 5 election and allows Project 2025 to be implemented, RFE/RL will cease to be a center of anti-Orbán resistance. That's something for Czech Foreign Min. Jan Lipavský to include in his Plan B. [ Czech Republic Hungary ]