Rubio Warns Visas Will Be Revoked, Praises Orbán During Budapest Visit
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a stark warning Monday that visas are a privilege, not a right, and can be revoked if foreign nationals engage in conduct deemed harmful to American national interests.
Speaking at a joint press conference in Budapest alongside Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Rubio made clear that entry into the United States comes with strict conditions that extend beyond the initial screening process.
“A visa — no one’s entitled to a visa. There is no constitutional right to a visa. A visa is permission to enter our country as a visitor,” Rubio said. “If you enter our country as a visitor and you undertake activities that are against the national interest or national security of the United States, we will take away your visa. In fact, if we knew you were going to do it, we probably never would have given you your visa.”
SECRETARY RUBIO: I’ve said this repeatedly. I don’t know why it’s so hard for some to comprehend it.
No one is entitled to a visa.
If you enter our country as a visitor and undertake activities against the national interests of the United States, we will take away your visa. pic.twitter.com/Y9hWlZpKBX
— Department of State (@StateDept) February 16, 2026
The comments come as the Trump administration increases scrutiny of foreign nationals involved in political activism, campus protests, and media activity within the United States. Officials have signaled a tougher enforcement posture focused on visa compliance and national security.
Rubio delivered the remarks during a high-profile visit to Hungary, where he repeatedly praised Orbán’s leadership and underscored the close working relationship between the Hungarian prime minister and President Donald Trump.
“The prime minister and the president have a very, very close personal and working relationship, and I think it has been beneficial to our two countries,” Rubio said, describing U.S.–Hungarian ties as being in a “golden age” under Trump.
During the trip, Rubio signed an agreement expanding U.S.–Hungarian civilian nuclear cooperation. The deal includes potential purchases of small modular reactors, U.S.-supplied nuclear fuel, and spent fuel storage technology, aimed at strengthening energy security in Central Europe.
Hungary has emerged as a key partner for the Trump administration in the region, particularly among governments critical of European Union immigration policies and continued military aid to Ukraine. Orbán, first elected in 2010 and now seeking a fifth term, faces what many describe as his most competitive election in 16 years.
Orbán has embraced Trump-style political messaging, promoting the slogan “Make Europe Great Again,” and has cultivated close ties with American conservatives. Budapest has hosted multiple CPAC gatherings in recent years, reinforcing Hungary’s growing prominence among nationalist leaders.
Rubio’s visa warning, delivered on friendly political terrain, reinforced a shared governing philosophy between Washington and Budapest: that national sovereignty includes the authority to determine not only who may enter a country, but whether they may remain if they act against its interests.
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