Reuters. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Tuesday (April 7) that EU "bureaucrats in Brussels" have tried to damage Hungary's economy and energy independence in opposition of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban as he faces a tight re-election bid this month.
In comments alongside Orban on a visit to Budapest, Vance called it one of the worst examples of foreign election interference.
"The bureaucrats in Brussels have tried to destroy the economy of Hungary. They have tried to make Hungary less energy independent. They have tried to drive up costs for Hungarian consumers. And they've done it all because they hate this guy," Vance said.
Vance praised Orban's leadership on energy policy, saying the Hungarian leader had been "the single most profound leader in Europe on the question of energy security and independence."
Orban said that with President Trump's election, "a golden age has dawned" in U.S.-Hungary relations, saying 2025 had been "a year of records in economic cooperation."
Orban, a Eurosceptic nationalist in power since 2010, is facing the toughest re-election bid of his career, with independent polls indicating his Fidesz party will lose Sunday's vote to centre-right challenger Peter Magyar's Tisza party.
Vance's visit, just days before the vote, underscores how crucial President Donald Trump's MAGA movement deems Orban's re-election to be.
