By SCM Staff Writer, BUDAPEST
DONALD TRUMP’S right-hand man has issued a chilling warning to foreign visitors: act against American interests and you’ll be booted out on the next flight.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from Hungary, declared that a visa to the United States is a “privilege, not a right,” and promised a scorched-earth policy for anyone caught undermining the Stars and Stripes.
In a blunt message aimed at students, activists, and tourists alike, Rubio warned that the “Golden Age” of easy entry is over for those who don’t play by the rules.
“If you enter our country as a visitor and undertake activities against our national interest, we will take away your visa,” Rubio told a packed press conference in Budapest.
‘NO CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT’
The Florida firebrand, now leading Trump’s global charm offensive, didn’t stop there.
He suggested that the U.S. would be vetting visitors harder than ever before to stop “troublemakers” at the border.
He added: “In fact, if we knew you were going to do it, we probably wouldn’t have given you the visa. There is no constitutional right to a visa.”
The hardline stance comes as the Trump administration looks to tighten its grip on national security and immigration.
Rubio’s comments appear to target foreign nationals who participate in protests or activities deemed hostile to U.S. policy while on American soil.
Rubio was in the Hungarian capital to meet with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a long-time ally of President Trump. The Secretary of State praised the “aligned interests” between the two nations, signaling a new era of “nationalism first” diplomacy.
“Under President Trump, it is our expectation that every nation on Earth is going to act in their national interest,” Rubio said, standing alongside the Hungarian leader.
“We have many areas where our national interests are aligned.”
The message was clear: The U.S. expects its friends to look out for themselves—and its visitors to look out for their behavior, or face the consequences.
The Context: Marco Rubio is currently serving as the U.S. Secretary of State under the second Trump administration.
This speech in Budapest (February 2026) marks a significant shift toward “transactional diplomacy,” where U.S. cooperation is tied strictly to shared national interests.
The Hungary Connection: Viktor Orbán has long been Donald Trump’s closest ally in Europe. Rubio’s visit is seen as a move to bolster Orbán ahead of Hungary’s April elections and to solidify a “conservative bloc” within NATO and the EU.
Visa Policy: The comments follow a series of controversial moves by the State Department in early 2026, including the “pause” of immigrant visas for dozens of countries.
Rubio’s rhetoric suggests that even non-immigrant visas (tourists, students, business travelers) are now under intense scrutiny for political or “national interest” alignment.
