Appearing on Fox News, he expressed regret over the loss but insisted that the intervention was not about Russia and essentially not about Europe, but merely a token of gratitude from the U.S. administration for defending American interests against EU bureaucracy.
"He is one of the few European leaders we have seen who was willing to stand up to the bureaucracy in Brussels, which has been very, very bad for the United States. For example, when you see European bureaucrats going against an American company, sometimes the only 'no' vote, the only voice protecting that American interest, was Viktor Orbán," he said.
Vance added that the White House certainly knew there was a very good chance Orbán would lose these elections but wanted to stand behind someone who had long stood with them.
He also stated that Orbán is a brilliant man who has done a very good job.
"I think his legacy in Hungary is transformative—16 years, he fundamentally changed that country," Vance believes.
Nevertheless, as a gesture likely to reassure the new administration of Péter Magyar, he declared that they will certainly cooperate well with Hungary's new prime minister.