Vance Picks Fight With Europe Over Orban in Vote Endorsement

WATCH: Vance criticized the EU for “interference” in the Hungarian election as he endorsed Prime Minister Viktor Orban.Source: Bloomberg

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By Zoltan Simon and Thomas Escritt

April 7, 2026 at 12:27 PM UTC

Updated on

April 7, 2026 at 4:38 PM UTC

Vice President JD Vance went to Budapest to criticize the European Union for allegedly meddling in the Hungarian election. Then he endorsed Viktor Orban as a model of leadership for the continent days before the make-or-break vote.

Speaking alongside the Hungarian prime minister on Tuesday, Vance said “the amount of interference that’s come from the bureaucracy in Brussels has been truly disgraceful.” He provided no evidence for his claims. No EU leader has campaigned alongside the Hungarian opposition in Budapest.