Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) traveled to Barcelona, Spain, where he called on progressive parties from around the world to unite and, in remarks at the event, linked President Donald Trump to a broader group of right-wing movements abroad. Alex Soros was among those at the gathering and said the summit brought together thousands from over 100 countries and organizations.
Murphy wrote on X: “I am in Barcelona today to help unite progressive parties from around the world in a defense of democracy and a war against corruption. A first of its kind event. Necessary to beat back the forces of fascism.”
Murphy also delivered a speech where he stated:
This is a moment, my friends, where progressives around the world have to unite. Trump, Orban, Le Pen, the AfD, the remnants of Bolsonaro—these right-wing movements, they learn from each other. They copy one another’s tactics of democratic destruction, and they count on us to be divided, to argue over purity tests while they dismantle our freedoms. But to beat them, we must learn from each other too. We have to understand how Prime Minister Sanchez, how President Lula, have built big progressive coalitions all over the world. We must learn together the lessons of Hungary. Are we all committed to learning those lessons together?
Murphy’s remarks came less than a week after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán conceded defeat in parliamentary elections to opposition leader Péter Magyar. The result was praised by former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Orbán had long been a critic of open borders and mass migration and a champion of pro-family policies, while his government faced financial sanctions from Brussels over legislation barring LGBT content from children’s television and banning Pride parades. Liberal opponents and legacy media outlets accused him of acting like a dictator.
The Barcelona event also featured the participation of Alex Soros, the son of billionaire activist George Soros and chairman of the Open Society Foundations. Soros indicated he was involved in hosting or supporting the summit, writing on X that it was “an honor to welcome so many incredible leaders and advocates” to Barcelona for the event.
Murphy has leveled similar attacks on Trump and his administration. In March 2025, Murphy claimed on CNN that “the White House has become an arm of the Kremlin,” adding that Trump wanted America “to align itself with dictators.” In January 2026, Murphy said Trump “wants to wage a war on people who aren’t white, who have accents, who come from a different place.” Earlier that same month, Murphy declared that “Donald Trump’s entire foreign policy is corrupt.” Murphy stated in 2024 that Democrats had failed to deliver for “the people we care about most, the undocumented Americans that are in this country.”
