U.S. President Donald Trump promised to give economic support to Hungary if needed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, reiterating his backing for the Hungarian leader just hours ahead of a crucial election in the country.
“My Administration stands ready to use the full Economic Might of the United States to strengthen Hungary’s Economy, as we have done for our Great Allies in the past, if Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and the Hungarian People ever need it,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social ahead of Sunday’s vote. “We are excited to invest in the future Prosperity that will be generated by Orbán’s continued Leadership!”
Hungarians are going to the polling booths on Sunday in a high-stakes vote with ramifications for the European Union as a whole. For the first time since 2010, when he became Hungary’s prime minister, Orbán is lagging behind in the polls. The Tsiza party, founded by his former ally and now main opponent, Péter Magyar, has 50 percent of the vote, while Orbán’s Fidesz party has only 20 percent, according to POLITICO’s Poll of Polls.
Orban promptly thanked Trump for his support, posting a video including the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.,” the song that the U.S. president has used for campaign rallies. “America stands with us. Hungary is proud to be a great ally,” Orbán wrote on X Saturday morning.
The U.S. president’s pledge comes after a week marked by revelations about Hungary sharing EU confidential documents with Russia.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance also flew to Budapest to campaign for Orbán, and he also accused EU bureaucrats of meddling in Hungarian national politics.
“It’s strange that a vice president of the European Commission cannot comment on elections, while the U.S. vice president can,” EU Vice President Stéphane Séjourné told POLITICO on Friday.