Vance says EU is meddling in Hungary's election as he backs Orban in Budapest

US Vice President JD Vance lashed out on Tuesday at what he called "disgraceful" interference from the European Union in an election in Hungary, as he lauded Prime Minister Viktor Orban as an ally of Donald Trump in the defence of Western civilisation.

Vance's visit to Budapest, just days before a vote that independent polls show Orban is likely to lose, underscores how crucial Trump's "MAGA" movement deems the veteran Hungarian nationalist's re-election.

"What has happened in this country, what has happened in the midst of this election campaign, is one of the worst examples of foreign election interference that I've ever seen or ever even read about," Vance told a news conference.

"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 (Orban)."

VISIT BREAKS WITH DIPLOMATIC NORMS

A European Commission spokesperson said, "Going back to importing from Russia - a greatly unreliable supplier that is waging an atrocious war against Ukraine - would be a strategic mistake."

"Elections are the sole choice of the citizens," the spokesperson added.

The visit broke with the norms of prior US presidential administrations of not openly campaigning in foreign elections, especially for a government that has maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was not immediately clear that Vance's visit would help Orban's cause domestically.

Nonetheless, the trip cast Vance in what has become a familiar role, scolding Brussels at a time of increasing transatlantic tension over Trump's war on Iran, criticism of Ukraine, threats to withdraw from the NATO alliance and statements about taking control of Greenland.

Vance stunned Europeans with a 2025 speech in Munich that accused them of censoring free speech and failing to control immigration.

OPPOSITION WARNS OF 'FOREIGN INTERFERENCE'

Vance's visit drew a warning about "foreign interference" in Hungary from Orban's challenger, Peter Magyar, whose centre-right Tisza party is tipped by independent pollsters to defeat Orban's Fidesz.

"This is our country," Magyar wrote on X. "Hungarian history is not written in Washington, Moscow, or Brussels - it is written in Hungary's streets and squares."

Vance, who joined Orban at a campaign rally that opened with a performance of the US national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," telephoned Trump from the podium and reached him on the second try. Vance held his cellphone to the microphone as Trump endorsed Orban for doing "a fantastic job."

The US vice president described the alliance between the two leaders as "moral cooperation" and told the audience that "we want you to make a decision about your future with no outside forces pressuring you or telling you what to do”.

Orban, fighting the toughest reelection bid of his career after 16 years in power, hailed what he called "a golden age" in relations between Hungary and the US under Trump's leadership.

Vance at times appeared more confident in Orban's electoral chances than the Hungarian leader. At one moment during a joint press conference before the rally, Vance predicted Orban’s victory, but Orban waggled his hand and raised his eyebrows, appearing to acknowledge that he might lose.

ORBAN HAS LONG SUPPORTED TRUMP

Orban's self-described "illiberal democracy" mirrors key themes of Trump-era America: hardline anti-immigration policies, disdain for liberal norms, hostility toward global institutions, and attacks on the media, ​universities and nonprofit groups. He was the first European leader to endorse Trump during his 2016 presidential bid.

Orban has long been at loggerheads with the EU over a range of issues, including Ukraine. He has refused to send weapons to Ukraine, has blocked a 90-billion-euro loan package from the EU to Kyiv and says Ukraine can never join the bloc.

He has also accused the EU and Ukraine of seeking to meddle in Sunday's election and says Ukraine wants to disrupt Hungary's energy supply, something Kyiv denies.

Vance on Tuesday said that "elements within the Ukrainian intelligence services" were trying "to put their thumb on the scale" of US and Hungarian elections, without providing evidence.

In a post on X ahead of Vance's arrival, Magyar - whose centre-right Tisza party is tipped by independent pollsters to defeat Orban's Fidesz - issued his own warning against foreign meddling.

"This is our country," he wrote. "Hungarian history is not written in Washington, Moscow, or Brussels - it is written in Hungary's streets and squares."