US-Hungary “Golden Age”: Rubio Endorses Orbán Ahead of Tight Election

Secretary of State Marco Rubio concluded a provocative whirlwind tour of Europe on Monday, February 16, 2026, with a visit to Budapest that has sent shockwaves through the European Union. Standing alongside Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Rubio hailed a “golden age” of bilateral relations and issued what analysts describe as a blatant political endorsement just two months before Hungary’s most competitive election in 16 years.

The visit, which included stops in Munich and Bratislava, has reinforced fears in Brussels that the Trump administration is actively seeking to foster disunity within the EU by rewarding its most “sovereignist” members.

A “Financial Shield” for Orbán

Facing a punishing 10-point deficit in some polls to opposition challenger Péter Magyar, Orbán received a significant political and economic lifeline from Washington.

• Financial Protective Shield: Rubio pledged a US “financial protective shield” for Hungary—potentially involving a currency swap agreement similar to the $20 billion bailout provided to Argentina’s Javier Milei.
• Sanctions Exemptions: Rubio confirmed that exemptions allowing Hungary to purchase Russian oil and gas would remain in place as long as Orbán is in power, directly contradicting EU efforts to decouple from Russian energy.
• Nuclear Cooperation: The two leaders signed a civilian nuclear agreement for the purchase of US Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and nuclear fuel, aimed at securing Hungary’s long-term energy independence from the EU grid.

“President Trump is deeply committed to your success, because your success is our success. It’s in our national interest that Hungary be successful as long as you’re the prime minister.” — Secretary Marco Rubio (Feb 16, 2026)

EU Backlash: “An ‘Eff You’ to the Bloc”

The reaction from Brussels was swift and frosty. While the European Commission officially stated it is “not our habit to support specific candidates,” high-ranking diplomats were far more candid.

• Election Interference: Analysts, including Theresa Fallon of the Centre for Russia, Europe, Asia Studies, called the visit a clear effort to sway the Hungarian election. “It’s an ‘eff you’ to the EU,” Fallon told The Guardian. “It was really clear.”
• Civilizational Debate: In Munich, Rubio warned that Europe faces “civilizational erasure” due to mass migration. This was met with a sharp rebuttal from EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas, who insisted that “woke, decadent Europe” is not facing erasure and urged the US to respect its allies’ sovereignty.

The Stakes for the April 12 Election

Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party is currently locked in a “dead heat” with the Tisza party, led by former Fidesz insider Péter Magyar.

The “Russia Factor”

Rubio’s visit also touched on the ongoing war in Ukraine. Orbán reiterated his stance that “if Donald Trump had been president, this war wouldn’t have broken out,” and confirmed that Hungary remains open to hosting a peace summit in Budapest—a proposal the Trump administration is reportedly considering for later this spring.