Ian Ward writes:

As the war with Iran continues to dominate headlines in Washington, another overseas battle is quietly capturing attention among the elite echelons of the MAGA movement: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s fight for reelection.

Orbán, who has consolidated power over Hungarian politics since re-entering the prime minister’s office in 2010, is facing one of his most challenging reelection contests to date, as voters chafe at a sluggish economy, the rising cost of living and a string of scandals involving members of Orbán’s political orbit. Polling ahead of the April 12 parliamentary elections shows Orbán’s Fidesz Party consistently trailing the center-right Tisza Party, led by ex-Fidesz member and chief Orbán challenger Péter Magyar.

Back in the U.S., Orbán’s lackluster poll numbers are causing heartburn among the Trump administration and its MAGA allies, who have identified Orbán — a self-proclaimed proponent of “illiberal” democracy — as a primary political ally in Europe. In recent weeks, senior members of the Trump administration have rallied to Orbán’s cause, with Trump broadcasting his “complete and total endorsement” of Orbán on social media several times and Secretary of State Marco Rubio paying a visit to Orbán in February. Vice President JD Vance is reportedly also eyeing a trip to Budapest early next month to whip up support for Orbán, though the White House has not officially confirmed the visit.

The full-court press by MAGA’s heavyweights reflects Orbán’s unique strategic and ideological importance to the Trumpist right. During Trump’s first term, many MAGA-aligned operatives and intellectuals latched onto Orbán as a model of successful “New Right” governance, pointing in particular to his hardline immigration policies, his crackdown on universities and left-leaning civil society organizations, his opposition to military aid for Ukraine and his patchwork of conservative “pro-family” policies. Orbán has also amended Hungary’s constitutional and electoral laws to favor his party and has taken steps to undermine the independence of the country’s judiciary and free press. [Continue reading…]