U.S. Vice President JD Vance‘s phone call created an internet-breaking moment at the most unexpected time.
At the “Day of Friendship” event in Budapest on Tuesday, April 7, Vance took the stage at a rally for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and addressed the crowd. Enthusiastically, before he began his speech, he announced to the crowd he had a special surprise: a live call with President Donald Trump.
The call did not go as planned. Well, at least, not the first time.
JD Vance calls President Trump: “I have a special guest. Let’s hope he actually answers or this will be very embarrassing.”
Phone: “I’m sorry, the person you’re trying to reach has a voicemail box that has not been set up yet.”
Vance called a second time and Trump answered. pic.twitter.com/q3Y9zHNd7V
— The American Conservative (@amconmag) April 7, 2026
Vance unknowingly set himself up for the fall. “Let’s hope he actually answers, or this is going to be very embarrassing”, he said.
Unfortunately, the call went straight to voicemail. An automated message from the other end played: “I’m sorry, the person you are trying to reach has a voicemail box that has not been set up yet.”
The crowd fell silent, but Vance smiled and kept his cool.
“OK, try one more time,” he told the audience. On his second attempt, the president finally picked up.
Trump, who was caught slightly off guard, said, “Hi. Hey JD, could you give me a second? I’m just… Wow, that’s some crowd you have there, JD.”
Vance then informed him he was on call with “about 5,000 Hungarian patriots,” who loved Trump more than Viktor, to which Trump replied, “Well, I can’t believe that, because I love Hungary and I love that Viktor.” And the stadium erupted in applause.
That wasn’t Vance’s only phone fumble of the day. At a separate press briefing with Orbán, a reporter pushed Vance on the Iran negotiations.
He reached into his pocket and discovered a message from Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on his phone. “Wouldn’t you like to know the subject of this message?” he teased the reporters, before adding he needed to read it before speaking about it.
JD Vance says Trump and Orban have done the most to end the war in Ukraine.
Might as well include Putin while we’re at it. pic.twitter.com/BeZ185XoHO
— Maria Drutska 🇺🇦 (@maria_drutska) April 7, 2026
Vance’s two-day visit was a direct bid to boost Orbán’s reelection campaign. The long-serving Prime Minister is running for his fifth consecutive term, with his Fidesz party trailing by double digits against the center-right Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar.
Vance told the crowd, “What the United States and Hungary together represent under Viktor’s leadership and under President Trump’s is the defense of western civilization.” He then called on Hungarians to go to the polls and stand with Orbán, drawing the biggest cheers of the night.
Trump’s support of Orbán goes way back. In February, Trump formally endorsed Orbán on Truth Social, writing, “I proudly supported Viktor in the 2022 elections, and it is an honor to do so again,” calling Orbán a true friend and a winner.
Orbán, for his part, told reporters the current period was a “golden era” of US-Hungary relations, marked by growing economic and defense cooperation. After Trump’s endorsement in February, Orbán shared the video on X, writing: “With friends, everything is easier. Peace too. Thank you, Mr. President!”
Hungary votes on Sunday, April 12. Whether Trump’s phone call moves the needle remains to be seen.
