Amid fierce U.S.-Iran negotiations, assessments are emerging that the Donald Trump administration is making no secret of its support for Europe's right-wing forces, as U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited Hungary and publicly declared his backing for Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
On the 7th local time, Vice President Vance appeared at a rally supporting Prime Minister Orban at Budapest's MTK Sports Park and voiced support for the ruling right-wing Fidesz party. He amplified the mood by playing over the microphone a recording of President Trump saying, "I am a fervent supporter of Orban, and the United States will stand with him to the end," and by praising Orban as "one of the few true politicians in Europe," according to reports.
The day also marked the final day of the deadline President Trump set for negotiations with Iran. Vice President Vance was reported to have arrived in the capital, Budapest, on the 6th aboard a private plane. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also canceled talks with European Union (EU) leaders in February and visited Hungary to meet Orban and lend support.
The visit is drawing attention because it comes as Orban faces the greatest political crisis of his career. Hungary will hold a general election on the 12th, and the ruling Fidesz party, led by Orban, is trailing far behind the opposition "Respect and Freedom" in approval ratings.
According to the BBC, support for "Respect and Freedom" has surged to 58% on the back of party leader Peter Magyar's rising popularity, while Fidesz's support has remained at 35% over the same period, signaling a possible change of prime minister. Prolonged economic hardship accumulated over 16 years of long rule, along with various scandals such as nepotism and corruption among relatives, are seen as driving the decline.
Often called the "Trump of Europe," Prime Minister Orban is regarded as a representative outsider within the EU. He has consolidated an authoritarian political base by advocating anti-immigration policies and defending traditional Christian values, and during the Ukraine war he maintained ties with Russia to some extent while cooperating with the United States, pursuing a distinct diplomatic line.
As a result, Hungary has emerged as a hub for figures in the U.S. conservative camp and is said to have taken on the role of the MAGA network's hub. This is why the Trump administration cannot afford to lose Orban and Fidesz.
In fact, the Trump administration specified "cultivating resistance forces" to the existing political currents in Europe in its national security strategy, presenting the expansion of right-wing forces as a strategic objective. Vice President Vance has also criticized Europe's mainstream political circles in speeches such as at the Munich Security Conference, strongly urging improvements on issues such as suppression of free speech and acceptance of illegal immigrants, and Hungary is cited as the country most closely aligned with this line.
It remains uncertain whether the Trump administration's public support will have a positive impact on Hungarian voters. In 2024, allegations surfaced that the ruling Fidesz party covered up sexual violence at a state-run child protection facility, dealing a severe blow to Orban's image, while bread-and-butter issues such as the cost of living and medical infrastructure have emerged as even more serious concerns.
Peter Kreko, director of the Budapest think tank Political Capital Institute, said, "Citizens are feeling fatigued by Fidesz's campaign focused on the threat of foreign forces," adding, "Voters want politicians who will solve real-world problems."