BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) 鈥� U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday urged Hungarians to back Prime Minister in upcoming elections, dubbing the populist leader a defender of 鈥淲estern civilization鈥� during a visit to Hungary meant to help push Orb谩n over the finish line.
Vance’s two-day visit to Budapest was the clearest sign yet that U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is going all-in for an Orb谩n victory when Hungarians go to the polls on Sunday. With only five days until the vote, Orb谩n, the European Union鈥檚 longest-serving leader and a close Trump ally, is trailing in the polls.
Speaking before over 1,000 Orb谩n supporters at an election rally at a sports arena in Budapest, Vance campaigned openly for the autocratic leader, telling the crowd: 鈥淲e have got to get Viktor Orb谩n reelected as prime minister of Hungary, don鈥檛 we?鈥�
Orb谩n is running for his fifth-straight term as prime minister. He and his nationalist-populist Fidesz party are facing their against a center-right challenger, the , that could bring an end to his 16 years in power.
Orb谩n has bristled at the slightest mention of the Hungarian election by any of his EU partners, decrying any expressions of support for his opponent as a grave breach of Hungary鈥檚 sovereignty and meddling in the election.
Yet Vance’s appearance alongside Orb谩n at the election rally 鈥� dubbed a 鈥淒ay of Friendship鈥� event 鈥� was an unusual step from a foreign leader, and a break with most politicians who avoid taking an active role in the political campaigns of other countries.
To loud applause, Vance asked rally attendees: 鈥淲ill you stand for Western civilization? Will you stand for freedom, for truth, and for the God of our fathers?鈥�
“Then, my friends, go to the polls in the weekend. Stand with Viktor Orb谩n, because he stands for you, and he stands for all these things,鈥� Vance said.
鈥業 love that Viktor鈥�
Long accused by critics of taking over Hungary鈥檚 institutions, and overseeing entrenched 鈥� charges he denies 鈥� Orb谩n has become an icon in the global .
Trump has repeatedly endorsed Orb谩n鈥檚 candidacy for reelection, and many in the Make America Great Again movement approve of the Hungarian leader’s opposition to immigration, , and capture of the media and academia.
But with most independent polls showing a among decided voters ahead of the April 12 vote, Orb谩n has sought to boost his profile by appearing publicly with his international admirers.
Vance spoke at length on Tuesday about what he views as the civilizational dangers posed by progressivism, 鈥渇aceless bureaucrats鈥� and censorship. He lauded Orb谩n for his strong stand against immigration, and his adversarial approach to the EU.
鈥淚 admire what you鈥檙e fighting for,鈥� Vance said. 鈥淚 am here because President Trump and I wish for your success, and we are fighting right here with you.鈥�
Vance used his phone to call Trump from the lectern, to loud applause. After first reaching an automated message about the caller鈥檚 voicemail box not being set up yet, Trump answered the call and told the crowd through a microphone: 鈥淚 love Hungary and I love that Viktor, I tell you he鈥檚 a fantastic man.鈥�
Trump said Orb谩n had not allowed migrants 鈥渢o storm鈥� and 鈥渞uin鈥� Hungary.
鈥淗e鈥檚 kept Hungarian people in your country,鈥� Trump said.
Hungarian 鈥榬econquista鈥�
The Trump administration鈥檚 embrace of Orb谩n reflects its affinity for European far-right parties broadly, and the admiration, from Spain to France to Germany and the Netherlands, has been mutual.
Orb谩n has long been a thorn in the side of the EU, and has tested the bloc鈥檚 system of governance by frequently using his veto power to paralyze decision making in order to leverage concessions.
Last month, he angering the bloc’s leaders who accused him of hijacking the critical aid while undermining the EU in an effort to win his election.
At the rally on Tuesday, Orb谩n declared that 鈥渇reedom-loving Americans and Hungarians must unite and save Western civilization.鈥�
鈥淭o do this, we must fight the progressives that nest in Brussels,鈥� the EU’s de-facto capital, he continued. He declared that Hungary had launched a 鈥渞econquista鈥� of EU institutions which 鈥渨ill bring new patriotic governments to power.鈥�
Late last month, Orb谩n hosted dozens of allies from around Europe and beyond at the Hungarian iteration of the Conservative Political Action Conference, and at a Patriots for Europe party family, the third-largest group in the European Parliament.
Trump sent a video message to CPAC Hungary, saying Orb谩n had his 鈥渃omplete and total endorsement鈥� and was a 鈥渇antastic guy.鈥�
Still, Trump鈥檚 recent approach to foreign affairs has reverberated in Europe, with his actions over Greenland, Venezuela and Iran . Some commentators have suggested support from Vance and Trump may not help boost Orb谩n’s popularity at home.
Orb谩n, however, has remained deferential, and echoed Trump鈥檚 false claims that he won the 2020 election.
Russian energy
Orb谩n’s government has broken with most EU countries by refusing to assist Ukraine with financial assistance or weapons to ward off . Meanwhile, it has remained despite EU efforts to wean off such supplies.
In November, Hungary on Russian oil and gas after a White House meeting between Orb谩n and Trump.
Yet at a joint news conference with Orb谩n earlier on Tuesday, Vance seemed to contradict U.S. efforts to push its allies to break with Russian energy, excoriating other EU countries for moving to cease their imports of Russian fossil fuels in response to the war.
鈥淚t’s funny to watch prime ministers and leaders in some of the Western European capitals talk about the energy crisis when frankly they should have been following the policies of Viktor Orb谩n,鈥� he said.
Despite his clear endorsement of Orb谩n, Vance lashed out at the EU for what he said was 鈥渙ne of the worst examples of foreign election interference that I鈥檝e ever seen or ever even read about.鈥�
Vance did not address numerous recent reports that Russian secret services are meddling in Hungary’s election to tip it in Orb谩n鈥檚 favor.
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Mike Catalini in Morrisville, Pennsylvania contributed.
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