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US tries to keep Hungarian PM in power as elections are on April 12
United States President Donald Trump is making a last-ditch effort to keep Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who is facing growing pressure, in power.
The Trump administration is fully committed to supporting its key ally in Europe.
US Vice President JD Vance is expected to arrive in Budapest on Tuesday for a high-profile intervention that shows how far the White House is willing to go to strengthen Orban's position ahead of the April 12 national elections.
Orban is losing ground in the polls, while the anti-corruption opposition candidate, Peter Magyar, is gaining support in his bid to seize power in Budapest after 16 years of rule by the ruling Fidesz party.
Vance’s visit, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, was presented by Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs as a celebration of the deep ties between the two countries. “The visit highlights the strong and enduring alliance between Hungary and the United States,” he wrote on the X platform on Friday.
The US vice president, known for his outspoken stances, will hold talks with Orban, an ally of the MAGA movement, and then deliver a public speech, in a visit that directly involves Washington in the final phase of a tense election campaign.
This situation resembles a previous American effort in Argentina last year, when US officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, intervened to support President Javier Miel ahead of the midterm elections, with the aim of preserving an important ideological ally in the region.
In several speeches and statements in the 15 months since Trump returned to power, senior American officials have made clear that they believe Europe is on the wrong political path and that Orbán’s nationalist-populist model should serve as an example for the continent. The
Hungarian prime minister has promoted his vision of “illiberal democracy,” while often clashing with Brussels over the direction of the European Union on issues such as migration, relations with Russia, and minority rights.
Vance himself gave a scathing speech at the Munich Security Conference in February last year, accusing European leaders of ignoring the will of citizens, overturning election results, disregarding religious freedoms, and failing to act to stop illegal migration.
The Trump administration has had close relations with Orban since the US president's first term, and this now translates into a last-ditch effort before the election to keep him in power.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a visit in February, declared a “golden era” in relations between the two countries, signaling Hungary’s growing importance to the US at a time when relations with several other European capitals have been strained.
While senior Fidesz officials enthusiastically welcomed Vance’s visit to Hungary, not everyone is impressed.
Péter Magyar warned that the visit could be accompanied by conditions, hinting at undisclosed military deals and suggesting that Washington could demand concessions in exchange for support.
“Both aid from the East and the West come at a price,” he said, raising questions about what Hungary might be forced to give in return and referring to ongoing reports that Russian contacts with senior Orbán officials are deeper than previously known.
The election campaign has been rocked by the allegations. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó acknowledged this week that he had been in contact with officials in Moscow as EU ministers considered new sanctions on Kremlin allies. Reports suggest Budapest has sought an easing of measures targeting Russian elites and oil shipments. /Adapted from Politico /
Made in KGB Putin is spinning the World.