US Vice-President JD Vance's two-day visit to Budapest has thrust the Trump administration directly into Hungary's heated election campaign, with Vance openly endorsing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán just days before Hungarians vote.
Vance attended a pre-election rally with Orbán, where he put US President Donald Trump on speakerphone. Trump told the cheering crowd, “I love Hungary and I love that Viktor,” and praised Orbán as a “fantastic man.” Vance also criticised the European Union, accusing it of foreign interference, and warned of a “shared threat from within” from far-left ideology.
The visit breaks with the convention of foreign leaders avoiding active roles in foreign elections. Orbán, who has been in power for 16 years, faces an unprecedented challenge from Péter Magyar of the opposition Tisza party, amid economic stagnation, poor public services and rampant corruption.
Despite the show of support, Vance made no mention of the domestic grievances driving the opposition, such as low wages, neglected healthcare and systemic corruption, nor of scandals during Orbán's campaign, including allegations of Russian interference.
