PM Orbán may turn to Rubio instead of Trump: One of America’s big players heading to Budapest?

According to the latest reports, Marco Rubio, the United States Secretary of State, could visit Budapest on 15–16 February. Sources Panyi Szabolcs and his investigative outlet VSquare indicate that the trip may take place following the Munich Security Conference, although the schedule could change at any time due to the current global political climate.

The discussions are expected to focus primarily on energy issues, continuing the series of talks that Orbán Viktor and Robert Fico recently held with Donald Trump in the United States. Of particular interest to Hungary is the potential to secure exemptions from American sanctions on Russian energy companies.

Trump’s visit to Budapest remains uncertain

The Orbán government has long floated the idea of a potential visit by Donald Trump to Budapest, reportedly aimed at boosting the prime minister’s campaign. However, Western diplomats and government-adjacent sources suggest that a more likely scenario is a visit by Vice President JD Vance instead, according to Blikk.

Panyi Szabolcs, a journalist with VSquare, notes that Orbán’s lobbying network has long been working to bring Vance to Budapest. Vance enjoys support within American right-wing political circles and benefits from connections that have been steering him toward Hungary for some time.

“While the Hungarian government and its propagandists hint that Trump would personally back Orbán, the real likelihood is that Vance will be the one to come,” writes Panyi.

Plan B: Vance, dream scenario: Trump–Putin summit

Earlier, Trump’s Budapest visit featured prominently in Orbán Viktor’s 2026 campaign plans. Sources, however, indicate that the Hungarian prime minister has long considered Vance as a “Plan B.” Trump’s actual chances of visiting remain slim, unless the long-discussed but currently stalled idea of a Trump–Putin peace summit is revived.

On Friday morning, the prime minister told Kossuth Radio that it is unclear whether Trump will come to Hungary. He previously added that he is “inviting” the American president and has even suggested dates, though a meeting has yet to be confirmed.

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What would the visit mean for Hungarian–American relations?

A potential visit by Marco Rubio would undoubtedly strengthen dialogue between the two countries, particularly in energy and foreign policy. At the same time, the gap between the promised Trump visit and the reality could be unusual in international diplomacy and may create tensions with Hungary’s Western partners.