In a significant diplomatic move underscoring the Trump administration’s alignment with European right-wing populists, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Hungary and Slovakia next week. The visit follows President Donald Trump’s explicit endorsement of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, whom he praised as a „winner” on social media, despite Orbán trailing in polls ahead of April elections. Rubio’s trip, which comes after he represents the US at the Munich Security Conference, signals a continued US foreign policy pivot toward leaders who share Trump’s skepticism of the European Union and traditional alliances. The State Department stated the meetings aim to bolster bilateral interests, including energy partnerships and regional security, against a backdrop of renewed US-EU tensions.
The itinerary highlights the administration’s close ties with two of Europe’s most controversial leaders. Viktor Orbán, who enjoys warm relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has resisted EU support for Ukraine, became a hero to Trump’s base for his anti-migration stance. The US previously granted Hungary a sanctions exemption for Russian energy imports following an Orbán-Trump meeting. In Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico has also found common cause with Trump, though a recent visit sparked controversy over alleged diplomatic concerns regarding the US president’s mental state—a claim both nations denied. Rubio’s mission there will focus on nuclear energy cooperation, military modernization, and NATO commitments.
This diplomatic engagement marks a stark contrast from the Biden era, which featured a hostile relationship with Orbán over democratic backsliding. Rubio, often viewed as the more civil face of Trump’s foreign policy, is now tasked with reinforcing these alliances. The visits come at a critical juncture, with Orbán facing an unprecedented electoral challenge from a former insider, and as the US continues to recalibrate its European strategy away from EU consensus and toward bilateral partnerships with nationalist governments. The trips underscore a broader ideological alignment on issues like sovereignty, immigration, and a realist approach to global conflicts.
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Forrás: https://www.rte.ie/news/2026/0210/1557611-rubio-us-hungary/.