US dispatches JD Vance to aid Orban reelection bid

The US is deploying Vice President JD Vance to stump for longtime Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, who trails in election polls.

Orban is seen as a symbol of the global far-right and has been an inspiration for Donald Trump.

The Trump administration is ignoring convention and has dispatched Vice President JD Vance to Hungary , where he will campaign for that country's longtime prime minister, Viktor Orban , who trails dramatically in polls ahead of upcoming elections on April 12.

Orban, who has held or been near power since the late 1990s, has become a figurehead for the global far-right and is running for his fifth consecutive term leading the eastern European nation as prime minister — a job he has held since 2010.

At odds with the rest of the EU over his allegiance to Russian President Vladimir Putin and his opposition to supporting the defense of Ukraine, Orban has proudly proclaimed to have transformed Hungary into an "illiberal" democracy.

Despite accusations that Orban and his Fidesz party have engineered state capture by taking control of Hungary's justice system, its media and its universities — prompting the label of "free but not fair elections" — the Trump administration has looked to Orban's Hungary as a blueprint for success rather than a warning about good governance.

Hungary is consistently ranked as the most corrupt nation in the 27-member EU and is also ranked among the poorest in the bloc.

Hungary: Europe or an authoritarian path?

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Vance, Trump stump for Orban at campaign event
Vance joined Orban for an official meeting on Tuesday morning followed by a press conference and then a campaign event in the late afternoon.

Orban spoke at length before letting Vance take the stage, depicting his government as a lone bastion of traditional social values in the EU and of "economic common sense" amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

He accused the EU of driving up fuel prices and pandering to Ukraine even as it "blockaded" oil deliveries to Hungary via Russia.

Vance began his appearance by calling a "special guest" on his mobile phone from the stage, connecting to Donald Trump at the second attempt.

"I love Hungary and I love that Viktor, I'll tell you, he's a fantastic man.

We've had a tremendous relationship and he does a job.

Remember this: he didn't allow people to storm your country and invade your country like other people have, and ruin their countries, frankly," Trump said over the phone.

"He's kept your country good.

He's kept Hungarian people in your country and he's done a fantstic job."
Vance then continued with his own remarks, opening with: "We have got to get Viktor Orban re-elected as Prime Minister of Hungary, don't we?"
The incumbent is seeking to fend off a serious challenge from center-right candidate Peter Magyar and his Tisza party.

Orban, whom rightwing leaders elsewhere see as a role model, currently trails by double-digits in opinion polls and his administration has been embarrassed by recent revelations of potential collusion with Russia as well as spying on political opponents .

"This evening, I wish to address every man, woman and child in Hungary," Vance said.

"I am here for a simple reason, because I admire what you are fighting for.

You are fighting for your freedom, you are fighting for your sovereignty.

And I am here because President Trump and I wish for your success, and we are fighting right here with you."
Vance levels election interference charges against EU before rally
Hungarian ‌Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who greeted Vance and his wife Usha when they touched down in Budapest, said the visit "clearly ‌shows ​that there is a new golden ​age in US-Hungary relations." Orban would use the same phrase himself at a campaign rally later in the day.

After his arrival, Vance on Tuesday doubled down on baseless US claims that the EU is attempting to sabotage Orban, accusing "bureaucrats in Brussels" of trying "to destroy the economy of Hungary" because they "hate" him.

Standing beside Orban before a closed-door meeting, the vice president then accused the EU of "truly disgraceful" levels of election interference.

Though Vance and Orban see no irony in their claims, opposition politician Peter Magyar, railed against Vance's visit on the social media platform X, saying: "This is our country.

Hungarian history is not written in Washington, Moscow or Brussels — it is written in Hungary's streets and squares."
In recent days, other far-right leaders — from France's Marine Le Pen and Geert Wilders of the Netherlands to Argentina's President Javier Miliei — have all spoken out in support of Orban's reelection, even appearing in campaign videos.

US breaks tradition by participating in foreign election
Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement have voiced admiration for Orban's crackdowns on immigration, gay rights and press freedom, and hail his championing of "Western Christian values."
In February, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Orban, "President Trump is deeply committed to your success, because your success is our success," as the two visited in Budapest.

Trump, who has openly embraced far-right leaders globally, has called Orban "a fantastic guy," who has his "complete and total endorsement."
Traditionally, the US has shied away from actively participating in foreign elections, making Vance's visit just days before the vote is a highly unusual step.

Though Orban welcomes US support, he has railed against fellow EU leaders commenting on the vote — decrying it as an infringement on Hungarian sovereignty and blasting what he calls election interference.

In bid to boost Orban, Vance to visit Hungary ahead of vote
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher