US Vice President JD Vance to visit Hungary ahead of crucial election

U.S. Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to visit Hungary on 7–8 April, according to two sources familiar with the plan, arriving just days before the parliamentary election on 12 April, widely seen as Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s toughest contest since his 2010 landslide victory.

The visit is reportedly intended as a show of support for Orban, who has been endorsed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Most polls indicate that Orban is trailing a centre-right challenger amid challenges including a weak economy and rising energy costs, Reuters reports.

One source cautioned that the timing of Vance’s trip could still change depending on developments related to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. The visit would follow Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s February trip to Budapest, during which he publicly backed Orban.

Orban, one of Trump’s closest European allies, has often clashed with the European Union over issues such as Ukraine. Defying Brussels, he has maintained cordial ties with Moscow, refused to send weapons to Kyiv, and insists Ukraine will never join the EU.

Trump has reiterated his support for Orban, describing him last month as “a truly strong and powerful Leader” on social media. On March 24, he posted another message on Truth Social, urging Hungarians to “GET OUT AND VOTE FOR VIKTOR ORBAN.”

The proposed dates of Vance’s visit were previously reported by Politico.