Trump urges Hungarians to vote for Orban, calls him 'true friend, fighter, and winner'
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U.S. President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for re-election, voicing strong support for one of Europe’s most controversial leaders ahead of Hungary’s April 12 vote.
In a March 24 post on Truth Social, Trump praised Orban as a “strong and powerful leader” and urged Hungarians to support him at the polls, calling him a “true friend, fighter, and winner.” Trump also highlighted Orban’s policies on immigration, economic growth, and law enforcement, and said bilateral ties between Washington and Budapest had strengthened under his leadership.
"Hungary: GET OUT AND VOTE FOR VIKTOR ORBÁN," Trump wrote.
The endorsement comes as Hungary enters a heated election campaign, with Orban’s ruling Fidesz party facing mounting pressure from opposition forces.
Orban, widely seen as one of the European Union’s most Kremlin-friendly leaders, has drawn criticism for his stance on Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and his government’s increasingly hostile rhetoric toward Kyiv.
Hungary has repeatedly leveraged its veto power within the European Union to stall sanctions on Russia and aid for Ukraine, a move experts say is aimed at extracting political and financial concessions from Brussels.
A recent survey conducted by Gradus Research and shared with the Kyiv Independent on March 18 found that a significant share of Ukrainians now view Hungary as an unfriendly state. In the poll, Hungary ranked alongside countries commonly perceived in Ukraine as aligned with Russia, including Iran, North Korea, and Belarus. Russia itself was not included in the list.
Tensions between Kyiv and Budapest have escalated in recent weeks, including disputes linked to the Druzhba pipeline — a major route previously used to transport Russian oil to Central Europe — as well as broader political disagreements.
The upcoming election is expected to test Orban’s grip on power after years of dominance in Hungarian politics.
