Operation Save Orbán faces fresh scrutiny as Trump's intervention in Hungary collides with EU unity. The $1.2 billion U.S. aid package, aimed at stabilizing Orbán's government ahead of the 2024 election, has drawn ire from Brussels, which condemns the move as undermining democratic norms. Critics argue the package prioritizes geopolitical leverage over democratic integrity, with one official calling it a fatal decision that risks eroding trust in transatlantic alliances.

Hungary's constitutional court recently ruled the aid conditional on political concessions, deepening tensions between Budapest and EU institutions.