At the moment, the Hungarian prime minister is losing in the polls to his former ally and current competitor Peter Magyar. He skillfully used voters' frustration caused by record inflation, the poor state of the economy and a series of political scandals to swing some of the Hungarian prime minister's elections to his side. Faced with the sudden threat of Orban's electoral defeat, the Trump administration and leading figures of the MAGA movement took actions to support the politician, whom they consider their most ideological ally in Europe.
For members of the MAGA movement, Orban is not just a partner – he is an inspiration. His tough stance on migration, fight against universities and “woke” cultural institutions, hostility towards Brussels and skepticism towards Ukraine have long been presented by American conservatives as an exemplary model of governance.
“We were Trump before Trump,” reads the website of the Conservative Political Action Conference in Budapest. In June 2024, US Vice President JD Vance openly expressed his appreciation for Orban, saying that the Hungarian prime minister “made wise decisions that we in the United States could learn from.” — We have joined the Trump team's policy-making system. We are deeply committed, Orban boasted during a rally in Hungary during the 2024 presidential elections.
The Hungarian government and pro-Orban think tanks, such as the Szazadveg Foundation and the Danube Institute, have also long cooperated with pro-Trump think tanks, such as the Heritage Foundation, sharing research, ideas and exchanges of scientists.
The US president's allies praise Orban not only for his policies, but also for his steadfastness, which is lacking in other MAGA-friendly politicians – such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Many of them criticize her for her support of Ukraine and her willingness to work with former President Joe Biden between Trump's two terms. “Orban made every effort to remain loyal to Donald Trump as he fell from power and was politically sidelined,” said Benjamin Harnwell, the right-hand man of Steve Bannon, a former Trump strategist.
Now the MAGA movement is paying back Orban by doing everything in its power to save “a truly strong and powerful leader with phenomenal results” for Hungary — as Trump once wrote about Orban on social media.
“Golden Era”
During a recent visit to Budapest, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio further emphasized Trump's support for Orban, saying that US relations with Hungary are entering a “golden era”. He also promised financial support for the country if needed – but only if Orban remains in power. “President Trump is deeply committed to your success because your success is our success,” Rubio said.
The visit of Washington's top diplomat to Hungary shows how seriously the Trump administration takes the April elections in Hungary. — For MAGA, these are the two most important elections this year: those in Hungary and the midterm elections in the United States – says Timothy Ash from the British Chatham House. It's also visible in action – polling for Orban is conducted by none other than John McLaughlin, a seasoned Republican strategist who worked on all three of Trump's presidential campaigns.
Marco Rubio with Victor Orban in Budapest, February 16, 2026.Janos Kummer / Stringer / Getty Images
This all stems from the fact that the defeat of the Hungarian prime minister would be a blow to the global populist movement, even as Washington increases support for other like-minded politicians across Europe.
“If he lost, that would be it [przez nich] perceived as an ideological or intellectual failure, says Frank Furedi, an Orban ally who heads the Brussels branch of the private university supported by the Hungarian government, Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC). — It is important to remember that Orban plays a disproportionately large role in shaping the views of many people in these parties [populistycznych] and their leaders, who have strong sympathy for him, he adds. “I think his failure would have [na nich] a major impact in the short term, influencing political dynamics across the continent.
A questionable asset
Three weeks before the elections, celebrities from the MAGA movement and conservative and populist stars from across Europe intend to gather in the Hungarian capital for the CPAC conference organized by the American Conservative Union – the fifth since 2022.
Orban hopes that the US president will take part. Trump has a standing invitation to this event, and the Hungarian leader does not hide that he would like to do so. However, it is not known whether it will be successful – although Trump suggested in January that he would take part, he has not yet made a clear declaration.
Just before leaving for Washington for the inaugural meeting of Trump's Peace Council last month, Orban reminded Hungarian radio that the US president “owed him” a visit. However, he admitted that “the situation is changing so quickly that it is impossible to plan even two weeks in advance.” The US and Israel's war with Iran has only increased uncertainty.
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Orban has so far tried to distance himself from the war in the Middle East. During a recent election rally mentioned that the US president asked his opinion before bombing Iran, “bearing in mind the fact that [Węgry] maintain relations with Iran and friendly relations with Israel.
He said what was happening was not in line with his advice. He added that US and Chinese leaders Xi Jinping will talk about serious measures to “stabilize the situation in the world” during Trump's visit to Beijing, which is scheduled to take place at the end of the month.
However, it is still unclear to what extent MAGA's support actually helped the Hungarian prime minister. There is no evidence that Rubio's visit influenced opinion polls, notes Chatham House's Ash. In fact, subsequent polls published after his visit suggested that Hungary's center-right opposition had increased its lead over the prime minister's party in February.
Limits of support
Orban is trying to present the elections as a referendum on the war in Ukraine and show his rival as a puppet of Brussels. However, Magyar successfully moved the debate to issues related to everyday life.
His Tisza party currently has a nine-point lead over Orban's Fidesz party, according to a POLITICO poll — and it did so by channeling voter anger at inflation and economic mismanagement. The Hungarian forint, long vulnerable to external shocks, has come under renewed pressure amid the recent geopolitical turmoil in the Middle East. They raised concerns about rising energy prices and another spike in inflation – just as price increases were starting to stabilize.
Commentators also disagree on the extent to which continued support from MAGA — or even a Trump visit to Hungary — could boost support for Orban. — I think it will heat up the atmosphere among his supporters and strengthen his current electoral base. But will it matter to anyone else or convince people to vote one way or another? This remains an open question, says Furedi.
Trump does not make a habit of investing political capital in matters that he considers doomed to failure. So if polls in Hungary continue to show Orbán losing and he fails to regain momentum in the final stages of the campaign, he may find that there are limits to how far the US president is willing to go in his support — even when it comes to one of MAGA's most committed foreign allies.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
