PM Orban and Trump’s Secretary of State to Hold Talks Today on Peace and Cooperation

Since President Donald Trump took office last January, relations between Hungary and the United States have reached unprecedented depth. The alliance between President Trump and Prime Minister Viktor Orban has evolved beyond traditional diplomacy into an axis organized around a shared commitment to peace, a firm rejection of mass migration, and adherence to economic common sense.

On the international stage, genuine camaraderie rooted in mutual respect is rare. Yet over the past decade, such a relationship has developed between Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and President Donald Trump. The foundation was laid in 2016, when the Hungarian prime minister was among the first world leaders to openly endorse Trump during the U.S. presidential campaign.

Donald Trump inviting Viktor Orban to join the Board of Peace as a founding member is a sign of respect and trust (Photo: MTI/Prime Minister's Office Communications Department/Zoltan Fischer)

Since then, ties have steadily deepened—from phone calls to meetings at the White House and at Mar-a-Lago—signaling that Hungary is viewed in Washington not merely as a Central European country, but as a key strategic ally. One of the strongest bonds between the two leaders today is their shared pro-peace stance. While Brussels and segments of the Western European elite push war rhetoric and prolongation of bloodshed, Orban and Trump represent what they describe as the voice of reason: 

both believe conflicts must be resolved at the negotiating table, not on the battlefield.

This shared position has elevated Hungary to a central role in global peace diplomacy. At last year’s peace summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, President Trump departed from diplomatic protocol to single out the Hungarian prime minister before an audience of world leaders.

Many people disagree with me when I say he is a great man, but ultimately my opinion counts,

the U.S. president declared.

We love Viktor. You’re fantastic! I know many don’t agree with me, but my opinion counts. He is a great leader. I supported him in the last election, and he won by 28 percentage points. You’ll do even better next time. There will be another election, and you’ll do great. We appreciate it. We stand 100 percent behind you, 

Donald Trump added.

As a further sign of trust and respect, Trump not only invited Orban to the Board of Peace as a founding member, but also floated the possibility of Budapest hosting a future summit with Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the Russia–Ukraine war. According to constitutional law expert Zoltan Lomnici Jr., this gesture represents a geopolitical breakthrough: Hungary now stands on the side of peace with American backing, taking on a leading role internationally while figures such as French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are relegated to the sidelines.

Trump’s words mean Hungary has once again become a strategic factor—a country the world watches and one capable of giving voice to the politics of peace and common sense against pro-war forces,

the expert said.

Another pillar of the strategic alliance is the defense of sovereignty and the total rejection of illegal migration. Trump has repeatedly cited the Hungarian model as an example. At a White House summit, he expressed with characteristic bluntness:

Look at what happened to Europe because of illegal immigration! People are flooding the continent, and it’s damaging Europe. Orban is right—very, very right.

Trump’s support carries particular weight at a time when Brussels is waging what many in Hungary see as a political campaign against the country. In light of the massive fines imposed on Hungary, the American president’s backing amounts to a sharp rebuke of EU leadership. The message of the Trump–Orban axis is clear: 

borders must be protected, migration must be stopped, and the security risks posed by illegal immigration must be eliminated.

Political alignment has also yielded tangible economic benefits. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Budapest and high-level consultations on energy cooperation—particularly regarding the Paks II nuclear project and nuclear technology—signal that Hungarian–American relations are in a golden age economically as well.

Marco Rubio is meeting with senior Hungarian officials to strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation. Talks are focused on the peaceful resolution of global conflicts and on U.S.–Hungarian energy partnership.

Trump’s pragmatism is evident in his recognition of Hungary’s unique circumstances. He granted Hungary an exemption from sanctions on Russian oil, acknowledging that, as a landlocked country, its energy security cannot be ensured otherwise. This stands in stark contrast to what Budapest views as Brussels’ ideologically driven approach, which it argues would jeopardize the energy security of Hungarian families.

Perhaps nothing underscores the depth and political weight of the relationship more than Trump’s open endorsement of Viktor Orban ahead of elections. In a social media post praising the Hungarian prime minister, the U.S. president left little doubt about whom Washington considers its true partner.

Highly respected Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary is a truly strong and powerful leader who has a proven trackrecord of delivering phenomenal results. He fights tirelessly for, and loves his great country and people, just as I do for the United States of America. Viktor works hard to protect Hungary, grow the economy, create jobs, promote trade, stop illegal immigration, and ensure law and order. Relations between Hungary and the United States reached new heights of cooperation and spectacular results under my administration, thanks largely to Prime Minister Orban,

Trump wrote.

I was proud to endorse Viktor for re-election in 2022, and am hornored to do so again. Viktor Orban is a true friend, fighter, and winner and has my complete and total endorsement for re-election as the prime minister of Hungary. He will never let the great people of Hungary down,

the American president emphasized.

The message of the Trump–Orban alliance is unmistakable: the future belongs not to empires, but to strong, proud, sovereign nations. And with the world’s leading power at its side, Hungary is firmly on that path.

Cover photo: U.S. President Donald Trump and Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban (Photo: MTI/Prime Minister's Office Communications Department/Akos Kaiser)