Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s leadership during a visit to Hungary days before national elections that polls suggest could threaten his party’s majority.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Secretary of State Marco Rubio voiced strong support for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during a visit to Budapest on Monday, just weeks before Hungary’s April 12 legislative elections.
Rubio’s stop in Hungary concluded a multi-country European trip that included remarks at the Munich Security Conference and a visit to Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Both Fico and Orban are nationalist leaders who have maintained close ties with President Donald Trump.
Speaking alongside Orban at a joint press conference, Rubio said President Trump values the Hungarian leader’s record.
“I can say to you with confidence that President Trump is deeply committed to your success because your success is our success,” Rubio said. “The president has an extraordinarily close relationship to the prime minister, he does, and it has had tangible benefits.”
Trump recently praised Orban in a social media post, calling the Hungarian prime minister’s results “phenomenal.”
Orban, 62, faces a competitive election campaign as polls indicate his Fidesz party is trailing Peter Magyar’s opposition TISZA movement. Addressing questions about the upcoming vote, Orban said the future government would reflect the will of Hungarian voters.
“The government will be created after the election in Hungary based on the intention of the Hungarians,” Orban said. “Sometimes I lose, sometimes I win. So don’t be afraid what will be if we are not winning because it’s regularly happened here.”
In a weekend speech prior to Rubio’s arrival, Orban pledged to continue opposing what he described as “pseudo-civil organisations, bought journalists, judges, politicians,” language that echoed themes used by Trump in domestic political disputes. He also criticized what he called the “oppressive machinery of Brussels,” referencing ongoing tensions with European Union leadership.
EU officials have repeatedly accused Orban’s government of limiting critical voices in the judiciary, academia, media and civil society, and of targeting minority groups. His continued relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has also drawn scrutiny from European leaders.
European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho responded to Rubio’s visit by saying it was “up to the United States government to decide whom, when, and how they support — or not.”
Rubio arrived in Budapest on Sunday before returning to Washington after Monday’s meetings. His decision to visit both Bratislava and Budapest underscored Washington’s outreach to leaders who have diverged from broader EU positions on migration, Russia and governance issues.
During his remarks at the Munich Security Conference, Rubio urged European nations to join the United States in defending Western civilization from what he described as the challenges posed by mass immigration. At the same time, he sought to reassure European allies regarding U.S. commitments to NATO and other security partnerships.
In Bratislava on Sunday, Rubio said, “We’re not asking Europe to be a vassal of the United States. We want to be your partner. We want to work with Europe. We want to work with our allies.”
Energy cooperation was also discussed during Rubio’s meetings in both Slovakia and Hungary. When Orban visited the White House in 2025, Trump granted Hungary an exemption from sanctions targeting Russian oil and gas imports following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Orban is expected to travel to Washington later this week to attend the inaugural meeting of Trump’s “Board of Peace,” an initiative critics argue could challenge the authority of the United Nations Security Council.
With Hungary’s election approaching, Rubio’s remarks signaled continued U.S. backing for Orban as voters prepare to determine whether his party will maintain control of the government.
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