JD Vance goes to Budapest
JD Vance rallies in Budapest for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban ahead of a crucial election, drawing the attention of American conservatives. Panelists discuss Orbán’s narrow re-election bid as he faces a sagging economy and corruption allegations that could end his 16-year grip on power. Critics highlight his controversial economic strategy and ties to Vladimir Putin, including blocking European Union aid to Ukraine, making the race unpredictable.
The US and Europe are closely watching as Hungarians voted in record numbers on Sunday in a high-stakes election that pits Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, backed by President Donald Trump, against his former political ally, Péter Magyar.
Orbán was trailing in the polls earlier this week when Vice President JD Vance visited the country and made clear the government’s position on the importance of a pro-American candidate in the heart of Europe as many of its continental allies have proven lax, particularly due to a lack of help in the war against Iran.
In his remarks, Vance made it clear why he was there. “The reason why we are doing this is because we thought that there was so much crap happening against Viktor in these elections, that we had to show that there are actually many people and many friends around the world who recognize that Viktor and his government are doing a good job, and that they are important partners for peace,” he said at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium, a private university in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. “That is why we are here, but in the end the Hungarian people will be sovereign, because that is how it should be.”
TRUMP CALLS TO VANCE-ORBAN HUNGARY EVENT: ‘MY KIND OF PEOPLE’
Vice President JD Vance laughs at the sound of President Donald Trump’s call as he delivered remarks during a Day of Friendship with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the MTK Sports Park in Budapest, Hungary, on April 7, 2026. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
Following Vance’s return to the US, Trump said on Truth Social Friday: “My administration stands ready to use the full economic power of the United States to strengthen the Hungarian economy, as we have done for our great allies in the past, if Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Hungarian people ever need it. We are excited to invest in the future prosperity that will be generated by Orbán’s continued leadership!”
Loved by many older rural Hungarians and reviled by opponents, Orbán has become the country’s most influential leader since the transition to democracy at the end of the Cold War. Yet the election campaign has become intense.
Orbán’s strained relationship with the European Union stems from his stance on Russia’s war against Ukraine, his country’s strong support for Israel and his tough stance on not accepting migrants, which led to EU financial sanctions over his refusal to open the country’s border to foreigners.
During Orbán’s sixteen-year government, the Hungarian economy grew relatively quickly for an EU country. GDP per capita (what the average person earns annually) rose to nearly $17,000 last year, up from about $12,000 in 2014, according to data from Trading Economics. However, it’s not all good. Inflation has been relatively high recently, at 4.9% annually, and business confidence has been consistently negative since August 2022.
TRUMP SAYS HUNGARY’S BORDER POSITION KEEP CRIME LOW, SAYS EUROPE ‘FLOODING’ WITH MIGRANTS
Péter Magyar speaks during a protest outside the Hungarian Ministry of the Interior building, in Budapest, Hungary, April 26, 2024. Magyar leads the polls in the April 2026 elections. (Denes Erdos/AP)
The polls show Magyar’s Tisza party with 50% of the vote on April 9, trailing Orbán’s Fidesz party with 39% on April 9, according to Politico. Magyar now poses the biggest electoral threat to Orbán since 2010.
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Prime Minister Viktor Orban in the West Wing of the White House on May 13, 2019. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg)
Speaking to reporters outside a polling station on Sunday, Orbán, 62, said the campaign had been “a great national moment on our side” and thanked activists and supporters for their work. “I’m here to win,” the Associated Press reported.
In an interview earlier this week, Magyar complained that the EU’s longest-serving leader has made a “180 degree turn” in the country in recent years, endangering its Western orientation while dealing with Moscow. But despite this drift, “Hungarians still see that Hungary’s peace and development are guaranteed by its membership in the European Union and NATO,” Magyar said. “I think this will really be a referendum on our country’s place in the world,” he told the Associated Press.
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Results are expected later Sunday afternoon.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
