JD Vance visits Hungary as Orban trails in the polls
Orban is the third leg of the US and Russian network developed by Epstein, Thiel and Bannon. A look at the upcoming Hungarian election and a selection of recommended reads
Sunday is election day for Hungary, and with the polls suggesting a potential end to Viktor Orban's 16 year grip on the state the radical right are rallying to his defence.
JD Vance went to Hungary to campaign for Orban.
He then scoffed at the idea that the US Vice-President travelling to a foreign country and picking sides in an election just a week away could in anyway be construed as foreign interference. Trumps’ recent National Strategy Review has made influencing Europe elections official policy, and there is a lot riding on the Hungarian election.
Viktor Orban is the third leg in a tripod of US and Russian interests. In the Epstein Files when Epstein, Peter Thiel and Steve Bannon are discussing their right wing network Orban is mentioned as an important partner. Orban's MCC think tank has been a driving force of the culture wars across Europe, providing fellowships for academics willing to embrace the radical right to turn being a contrarian commentator into a career, and funding key organisations in other countries, often through intermediaries. Orban is also closely aligned with the National Conservatism movement that seeks to advance a Christian Nationalist policy agenda such as banning abortion and same sex marriage.
If Orban loses then Putin will lose a valuable ally who has consistently frustrated EU efforts to support Ukraine against Russian aggression. So its no suprise that in his efforts to defend Orban, Vance went on an incredible attack on Zelensky, accusing the Ukrainian leader of interfering in the Hungarian election.
It looks like the online radical right got some coordinated instructions when it came to amplifying Vance.
There are all sorts of shenanigans and dodgy tactics at play in this election, so I have put together a selection of recommended reads regarding the Hungarian election.
Spy Games and the Global Far Right Loom Over Historic Hungarian Election
As Viktor Orbán trails in the polls he is seeking help from the global far right and the intelligence services, reports Ábel Bede
Orbán’s Spying Kit Revealed: Israeli Surveillance Tool Combined with Hungarian Technology
Intelligence agencies of Viktor Orbán’s government have been secretly using Webloc — a mass surveillance tool that tracks hundreds of millions of people via smartphone advertising data — making Hungary the first confirmed EU country to deploy it, in likely violation of GDPR. Moreover, our investigation confirms the existence of “homegrown” OSINT and spyware tools.
https://vsquare.org/orban-spying-toolkit-cobwebs-webloc-hungary-spyware-citizen-lab/
Kremlin Hotline: How Hungary Coordinates With Russia Blocking Ukraine From the EU
Budapest systematically weaponized the issue of Hungarian minority rights in Ukraine to stall EU accession negotiations.
Péter Szijjártó offered Sergey Lavrov to send EU documents through the Hungarian Embassy in Moscow.
Hungary and Slovakia, acting as Kremlin friends in the EU, pushed against restrictions of Russian energy supplies.
Budapest also supported the Kremlin’s “achievements” of the Alaska Summit.
Leaked audio reveals a strikingly deferential, submissive attitude from Szijjártó toward Lavrov.
Democracy for Sale
Democracy for Sale is a particularly good Substack worth following, this week they covered the potential impact in the UK of an Orban defeat. Orban has used the state to finance his influence operations, MCC receives much of its funding from the Hungarian fossil fuel company MOL Group which has relied on Russian oil. While defeat wouldn’t see the end of MCC and the Danube Institute, it would likely see them having to work on a tighter budget.
Mapped: The Reform-Orbán Network
Ahead of elections in both countries, DeSmog has catalogued the connections between Hungary’s autocratic government and Farage’s operation.
https://www.desmog.com/2026/04/08/mapped-the-reform-farage-orban-network/
Below is some of my previous reporting which includes Orban's influence.
The Orbánisation of British Politics: Farage and Braverman Headline with Hungarian Prime Minister at National Conservatism Conference
NatCon Brussels is creating a network of radical right speakers from the UK, Europe and the US which often aim to roll back reproductive and sexuality rights
Regarding JD Vance's visit to the UK including dinner with James Orr.