For God and Country—The Orbán-Vance Rally in Budapest

The invitation said arrival should be by 2:30. But many suspected that might be a tad late if they wanted to grab a seat inside the MTK Sports Park’s arena for the Viktor Orbán–JD Vance rally yesterday. In fact, such a huge crowd showed up that the queue seemed to be stretching endlessly outside the venue located in central Budapest. 

As people waited patiently to be screened before entering (security was tight, but not exceptionally so), a score of reporters representing government-critical domestic and international media approached them for short interviews. And interviews they got. As far as the author of this article could see, no one responded angrily or impatiently—a notable departure from the norm these days in Hungary, where opposition rally participants typically respond that way when approached by pro-government outlets and influencers.

Inside the arena, some five thousand people were directed to the appropriate seating sectors and were handed small Hungarian paper flags and LED wristbands glowing in red, white, or green, the tricolor of Hungary. As the crowd—a fairly balanced mix of old, middle-aged, and young—waited for the rally, dubbed ‘Hungarian-American Friendship Day,’ to begin, there was some American-style rehearsing of flag-waving, clapping, and wristband-raising. Surprisingly for free-spirited Hungarians normally skeptical of such pre-arranged displays of enthusiasm, everyone seemed to be thrilled to join in—the enthusiasm and anticipation were genuine.

After the introductions by the MC and the national anthems of the two nations, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán took the stage. As the host of the American vice president and the event, he dedicated most of his remarks to lauding the United States and its current leaders. He said the rally was more than a diplomatic event: it was a meeting of two freedom-loving nations whose friendship rests not only on political and economic ties, but on what he described as a shared civilizational and spiritual foundation. He recalled that Hungarians and Americans are linked by a long tradition of fighting for liberty, citing moments from history that bound the two nations together, from Hungarian contributions to America’s own independence to U.S. support for Hungary’s return to freedom after communism. Orbán also stressed that the election of President Trump had opened a new golden age in bilateral relations and given fresh momentum to cooperation in investment, defense, high technology, innovation, and energy.

While the Hungarian PM’s speech was received with the ovation we are used to from his followers, it was obvious that the real star of the show this time was JD Vance, the first American vice president to visit Hungary in 35 years. When he entered the arena, the crowd erupted, with everybody standing up and frantically clapping and cheering—something the author has never witnessed, or even heard of, in the case of a foreign leader. But in many ways it was predictable: conservative Hungarians are too used to their values, convictions, and their leader being only berated by Western politicians and, in particular, by officials of the previous U.S. Democratic administration. And now, here he was—the deputy of the leader of the Free World coming to openly endorse their prime minister ahead of the crucial April 12th elections. 

Before delivering his remarks, Vance even pulled a rabbit out of the hat: he dialed a number on his cell and put none other than Donald Trump on speakerphone. To the cheers of the crowd, the U.S. president said he loves Hungary and Viktor Orbán, stating that he is a “big supporter” of the Hungarian prime minister. He emphasized that Hungarians should “Remember, unlike others who have destroyed their own countries, he did not allow them to invade and occupy your country.”

Following the phone call, Vance joked that it would be hard to top what the president said. The VP then struck a very personal note. He recalled that this was his second trip to Budapest, but his first as an official. He shared that during his first visit, his wife was pregnant with their second child, and now she is expecting their fourth. Vance added that he had asked Viktor Orbán if he and his wife could receive some of the generous family benefits the Hungarian government introduced, but the prime minister told him that unfortunately, only Hungarian citizens can benefit from them.

Switching to a more somber tone, the vice president said he had come to Hungary because he admires the Hungarian people’s fight for freedom and sovereignty, assuring the audience that Hungarians have President Trump and his full support in this fight, stating

We do not want, and we do not ask for, anything more than to be allies against those who try to suppress Hungary.

Recalling how Hungary has stood out among European nations following its own sovereign path, he said, “When the rest of Europe opened its doors, Hungary said no. When foreign activists came to erase your traditions, you said no.” 

And when war broke out in your neighborhood, they kindly and generously opened their communities, homes, and hospitals, but they never forgot the needs of their own people, because Hungary must always put Hungarians first.

He called out the far-left ideology that is gaining ground in academic circles, the media, the entertainment industry, and increasingly among bureaucrats on both sides of the Atlantic. The followers of this ideology, he said, consider “the foundations of our common civilization illegitimate.”

They see not a proud tradition in Western history, but only injustice, and in borders, exclusion and racism. They see not liberation in Christianity, but oppression, and in the family, restriction. Of course, their most radical members tear down monuments to our national heroes or pour buckets of fake blood on valuable works of art in museums. They attack the lives of law enforcement officers and set churches on fire.

There are those who call themselves feminists … while the women they are supposed to protect become victims of migrant crime and sexual assault … They claim to take the issue of corruption very seriously, but they turn a blind eye to the corruption in Brussels, thanks to which bureaucrats have made millions by threatening and restricting the sovereignty of the peoples of this beautiful continent.

Rebuffing the claim that the U.S. president or he himself has something against Europe, he declared, “Let me say it clearly: We love Europe … We love its people. We love its culture. We love its beautiful architecture, and we love the fascinating history of this continent. But precisely because we love this culture and these people, we reject faceless bureaucrats,” stating that sovereignty and national identity are “not problems, but necessary parts of the solution.”

In astounding frankness, the VP said, “Because I am the vice president of the United States, I see what the bureaucrats want to hide from you. I see the way those same leaders sneer at the normal, God-fearing people of Hungary. I see how they call the people of Hungary and America backwards for wanting cheap electricity bills.”

Turning to the upcoming Hungarian elections, Vance stressed that the election results must be made without external influence, calling on Hungarians not to listen “to the faceless bureaucrats in Brussels,” but rather “to your hearts, your souls, and listen to the sovereignty of the Hungarian people.” 

In what Fox News described as “a rallying cry for Western civilization,” he asked the crowd:

Will you stand for sovereignty and democracy? Will you stand for Western civilization? Will you stand for freedom, truth, and the God of our fathers?

and reminded Hungarians that in less than a week, they will have to choose:

Bow to tyranny or act in the spirit of King St. Stephen again.

As the two leaders stood on the stage together after the vice president’s speech, a common sentiment was palpable in the arena. While the stakes in the April 12 elections are indeed high, and the victory of the patriotic forces is probable but cannot be taken for granted, regardless of the outcome of the vote in Hungary, one thing is certain: as long as there are leaders like JD Vance and Viktor Orbán who do not shy away from openly professing that they serve for God and country, hope cannot be lost.