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Reuters: US Vice President JD Vance may visit Hungary to support PM Orbán ahead of April elections
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Months ago, Hungarian media speculated that President Trump might visit Budapest to help Orbán secure victory in the upcoming April general election. Now it seems certain that Trump—who has launched an attack against Iran—will not come, but according to foreign and Hungarian media outlets, Vice President Vance may visit Budapest to support Orbán. His trip, however, also depends on developments in the Middle East.
Vance, not Trump, may follow Rubio
Reuters published an article this afternoon about Vance’s potential visit to Hungary. They reported that the US Vice President may come to show support for Orbán ahead of the “tight election”. Polls show that Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party lead Orbán’s ruling Fidesz by a margin much wider than the polls’ margin of error.
Previously, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Hungary to show support for Orbán. He indicated then that Washington was ready to provide financial help to Budapest if needed. Rubio also clarified that Trump would happily visit Hungary, but much would depend on his schedule.
Trump has already endorsed PM Orbán
Plans for Vance’s visit are not yet finalised, as much can change due to Trump’s attack on Iran. The same happened with Trump’s planned visit to China. Reuters noted that the White House has not yet confirmed the Vice President’s visit.
Trump endorsed Orbán in February, calling him a strong and powerful leader in a social media post. The American MAGA community regards Orbán as a predecessor of Trump and a role model, mostly because of his zero-tolerance policy on illegal migrants.
Vance is believed to be Trump’s successor in 2028, when the President will be unable to run for a third term due to the US Constitution, according to Reuters.
When will J. D. Vance come?
According to index.hu, a government-friendly media outlet, government sources have confirmed the possibility of a Vance visit. The White House has not yet commented on the matter.
Index.hu suggested that Vance may attend the CPAC Hungary conference this weekend. The event kicks off on Saturday and will feature, among others, Czech PM Andrej Babiš and former Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki. This will be the fourth CPAC Hungary in a row.
Earlier today, Népszava reported that Budapest will host the 1st Patriots’ Grand Assembly on 23 March, featuring Marine Le Pen, Matteo Salvini, Santiago Abascal, Herbert Kickl, and Geert Wilders. PM Orbán will deliver the keynote speech at the event.
Read our analysis about this topic: Foreign interference in Hungary’s election? Fidesz campaigns with Orbán alongside US and a dozen other politicians – analysis
If you missed our previous articles:
- Planned Trump visit to Budapest reportedly fell apart
- Trump sends clear message to Hungarian voters on Orbán and April elections
This would be the “Dollar Right” coming to interfere in Hungarian elections. I haven’t seen “Dollar Left” used by the Fidesz-Russian propaganda machine since Trump’s election. In any case Vance is not guaranteed to show up and if he does it won’t help Fidesz. This is a sign of Fidesz desperation.
This is not a problem for the “dollar right”, only the other way around, when the left interferes.
Orban should be careful that this doesn’t backfire in the end. Because Orban is also a worldmaster of making announcements (as seen recently with the 90 billion loan), the visit probably won’t happen if the war isn’t over by then.
The Trump administration is considering sending thousands of U.S. troops to bolster its operation in the Middle East. Preparations are now underway for possible next steps against Iran. This is being reported by Reuters.
Why doesn’t Orban support his friend Trump, the great peacemaker, with land forces? Instead, there is only silence.
What makes him think that any connection to a Ped0-conman president would help him?
Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and two other countries have said they are ready to participate in securing passage through the Strait of Hormuz.
As AFP news agency notes, the warmongers Italy, and Germany clarified after the statement was released that it was not about immediately sending military forces to the region, but rather some kind of joint, international operation after the ceasefire.
A joint statement by the seven countries – Britain, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan and Canada – said, “We express our readiness to contribute to situation-appropriate actions to ensure safe passage through the [Strait of Hormuz]. We welcome the readiness of the countries that are participating in the preliminary planning.”
How exactly the seven countries intend to participate in securing passage through the strait, the statement did not say.
Where has Orban gone? Where has he disappeared to? Doesn’t he want to help his friend? Hungary may not have a navy like other countries, but it does have a land force.
Trump doesn’t seem to have much interest in his friend Orban, or is he perhaps already anticipating Orban’s election defeat? If so, Orban shouldn’t be disappointed if Vance doesn’t show up in Hungary after all.
Reuters reports Trump on Thursday urged Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi to “step up” as he pressed allies for more support over the war with Iran and rising oil prices, while defending the secrecy of the campaign by invoking Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor.
He probably didn’t grasp the full implications of his statement because the topic was being covered at the time, he missed history class, or his private tutor omitted it due to Trump’s inability to understand it. Or is he actually calling himself a war criminal?
But Trump defended an Iran operation that took U.S. allies by surprise and also used the meeting to renew pressure on U.S. allies from Asia to Europe. The Republican president has asked for more ships to clear mines and escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, largely closed by Iran in the conflict, despite saying the U.S. doesn’t need any help.
“I expect Japan to step up because, you know, we have that kind of relationship and we step up for Japan,” Trump said. “We don’t need much. We don’t need anything. I mean, honestly, we don’t need anything from Japan or from anyone else. But I think it’s appropriate that people step up.”
Trump’s pleas for help have received a lukewarm response from some allies caught off guard by Trump’s audacious campaign in Iran, now in its third week.
Asked why he had not told allies about his war plans, the U.S. president cited Japan’s December 7, 1941, attack on the U.S. naval base in Pearl Harbor, Hawai.
“We wanted surprise,” Trump told a Japanese journalist. “Who knows better about surprise than Japan? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?” Takaichi’s eyes widened, her grin vanished and she shifted in her chair next to Trump after his comment.