Two‑and‑a‑half weeks before Hungary’s parliamentary election, U.S. President Donald Trump publicly endorsed incumbent Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The statement was made at midnight Central European Time, with Trump posting the comments on his platform Truth Social on Tuesday evening (U.S. East‑Coast time). He described Orbán as a “truly strong and influential leader with a proven track record” adding that the Hungarian prime minister is “unrelentingly devoted to his great country and its people, and loves the United States as much as I do”.
Trump praised the special relationship between Hungary and the United States, saying it had reached a “new level of cooperation and spectacular success” largely because of Orbán’s leadership. He urged Hungarian voters to “go out and give Viktor Orbán your vote” calling him “a true friend, a fighter and a winner” and expressing his “unconditional support” for Orbán’s re‑election.
The president had already backed Orbán in 2022, stating it was an honor to support him again. Hungary’s parliamentary election is scheduled for April 12. Polls currently put Orbán behind challenger Péter Magyar and the pro‑European “Respekt‑und‑Freiheitspartei” (Party of Respect and Freedom), a party founded in 2021 that has recently surged into first place.
