Trump Joins Vance-Orban Hungary Event, Praises Attendees as ‘My Kind of People’

President Trump made an impromptu phone call to a campaign rally in Hungary on Tuesday, lavishing praise on Prime Minister Viktor Orban just days before the country’s critical parliamentary election. The call came during Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Budapest, where approximately 5,000 Orban supporters had gathered.

“I love Hungary and I love that Viktor, I’ll tell you,” Trump told the crowd. “He’s a fantastic man. We’ve had a tremendous relationship, and he does a job.” The President particularly praised Orban’s hardline stance on immigration, crediting him with keeping Hungary “strong” by preventing what he described as an invasion of migrants.

“He’s kept Hungarian people in your country. And he’s done a fantastic job,” Trump added, describing Hungarians as “my kind of people” and assuring listeners that he and the United States support Orban “all the way.”

The timing of this high-profile endorsement is significant, as independent polls suggest Orban might lose Sunday’s election after 16 years in power. The Hungarian leader has maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, a position that has drawn criticism from many NATO allies but aligns with Trump’s more isolationist foreign policy approach.

After Trump’s remarks concluded, Vice President Vance told the crowd they needed to get Orban reelected. His presence in Budapest represents a significant break from traditional U.S. diplomatic protocol, which typically avoids direct involvement in foreign elections.

Earlier that day, Vance held a press conference where he sharply criticized the European Union for what he characterized as interference in Hungary’s electoral process. “What has happened in this country, what has happened in the midst of this election campaign, is one of the worst examples of foreign election interference that I’ve ever seen or ever even read about,” Vance said.

He accused EU officials in Brussels of attempting to “destroy the economy of Hungary” and undermining the country’s energy independence because “they hate this guy [Orban].” This rhetoric mirrors the anti-establishment position that has become a hallmark of Trump’s MAGA movement, which views Orban as an ideological ally.

“I’m here because of the moral cooperation between our two countries, because what the United States and Hungary together represent under Viktor’s leadership and under President Trump’s leadership is the defense of Western civilization,” Vance explained, framing the relationship in terms of shared cultural values.

For his part, Orban characterized U.S.-Hungarian relations under Trump as being in “a golden age,” signaling the diplomatic benefits he hopes to gain from maintaining close ties with the Trump administration.

The highly unusual nature of this intervention reflects the Trump administration’s willingness to break with diplomatic norms, especially regarding a NATO ally that has maintained friendly relations with Moscow throughout the Ukraine conflict. Orban has consistently argued that Russian energy is essential for Hungary’s economy, a position that has put him at odds with many European leaders but found sympathy in the Trump White House.

Trump’s endorsement of Orban comes as the Hungarian leader faces his toughest reelection battle yet. Critics have raised concerns about democratic backsliding in Hungary under Orban’s leadership, including restrictions on press freedom and judicial independence, but the Trump administration has largely overlooked these issues in favor of emphasizing shared positions on immigration, national sovereignty, and cultural conservatism.

The public display of mutual support between Trump and Orban highlights their aligned political vision just days before Hungarian voters head to the polls in what could be a watershed moment for the country’s political direction.