Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.
Vice President JD Vance suggested that the European Union was interfering with the upcoming Hungarian election, while Vance himself is on a visit to Budapest aimed at boosting strongman Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's chances of winning a tough battle for another term.
Vance said Wednesday that there'd been a "lot of conversation about foreign influence" in U.S. elections, adding that he had been accused of of such by coming to Hungary to support Orbán, a nationalist and self-proclaimed proponent of "illiberal democracy."
"That's foreign influence. But what's not foreign influence is when the European Union threatens billions of dollars withheld from Hungary because you guys protect your borders. That's apparently not foreign influence," Vance said.
"I find it darkly ironic that people are accusing me of engaging in some kind of foreign influence. All that we're saying is that Viktor Orbán, he does a good job," the vice president added.
Orbán is seeking his fifth consecutive term in office. Elections are set for Sunday, April 12.
The Associated Press reports most independent polls show Orbán and his party, Fidesz, running a double-digit deficit behind his main opponent, Péter Magyar, among decided voters.
Freedom House, a democracy-oriented U.S.-based nonprofit, designates Hungary as only "partly free," citing issues with less-than-free-and-fair elections and a stifling of independent institutions.
Under Orbán, the country has also strengthened its alliance with Russia. Still, the Hungarian leader has received support from the Republican Party and President Trump has long launded Orbán. When Vance called Mr. Trump in front of a crowd of thousands in Budapest on Tuesday, the president praised the prime minister.
"I love Hungary and I love that Viktor," Mr. Trump said through the speakerphone.
Vance said Tuesday that he was there "to help" Orbán with his reelection bid. During Tuesday's news conference, he told the crowd that "we have got to get Viktor Orbán reelected as prime minister of Hungary."
Vance portrayed Hungary as a beacon of Western civilization at a time of rampant immigration and liberalism.
"I'm here because of the moral cooperation between our two countries," Vance said. "Because what the United States and Hungary together represent under Viktor's leadership and under President Trump's is the defense of Western civilization. The defense of the idea that children should be able to go to school and get educated and not indoctrinated. The defense of the idea that European and American families should be able to transport themselves and be able to afford to heat and cool their homes. The defense of the idea that we are founded on a certain Christian civilization and Christian values that animate everything from freedom of speech to rule of law to respect for minority rights and protection of the vulnerable."
Vance called on Hungarian voters to "stand against the bureaucrats in Brussels," referring to European Union leadership. He said while he did not expect "the people of Hungary to listen to the vice president of the United States," he wanted his presence to "send a signal to everybody," including EU leaders, whom he accused of doing "everything that they can to hold down the people of Hungary, because they don't like the leader, who has actually stood up for the people of Hungary."
"Will you stand for sovereignty and democracy? Will you stand for Western civilization? Will you stand for freedom, for truth and for the God of our fathers?" Vance asked. "Then my friends, go to the polls in the weekend, stand with Viktor Orbán because he stands for you and he stands for all these things."
European Union officials quickly hit back at Vance's claims. European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier told CBS News that "in Europe, elections are the sole choice of citizens."
"Together, the Commission and Member States are building a stronger, more independent Europe," Regnier said. He also praised the Digital Services Act, which he said requires online platforms "to mitigate risks to protect our democracies."
"In Europe, elections are not the choice of Big Tech and their algorithms," Regnier said.
Regarding Vance's statements about the EU, Regnier referred to comments made earlier Wednesday by the EU's foreign spokesperson, Anitta Hipper. She told reporters that the EU has "our diplomatic channels and we will be using these also to convey our concerns to our U.S. counterparts."
Pressed further on what the nature of the concerns was, she said the EU was "not in the business of disclosing what we talk about with our partners."