Vance says Orban loss 'very bad' for US, vows to work with Hungary's new prime minister

US Vice President JD Vance said on Monday that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s election loss would be “very bad” for the United States but Washington would work with the country’s next government.

“We certainly knew there was a very good chance that Victor would lose that election. We did it because he's one of the few European leaders we've seen who's been willing to stand up to the bureaucracy in Brussels,” he said, referring to US support for Orban.

“That has been very, very bad for the United States,” Vance said in an interview with Fox News.

He described Orban as “a great guy who's done a very good job,” adding that his leadership had been “transformational” for Hungary over 16 years.

Vance said the US would work with Hungary’s next prime minister.

“I'm sad that he lost. We'll work very well, I'm sure, with the next prime minister of Hungary,” he said. “But it wasn't a bad trip at all, because it's worth standing by people, even if you don't win every race.”

Vance visited Budapest five days before the vote and urged Hungarians to support Orban, saying he represented their interests.

Hungary’s opposition Tisza party’s leader Peter Magyar held a wide lead over incumbent Orban in Sunday's elections, according to the National Election Office. Orban later conceded defeat, saying: “We will serve our nation from the opposition.”