Newsom mocks ‘lightweight’ Vance over failed Iran talks, fall of close ally Viktor Orban

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: California Governor Gavin Newsom unloaded on Vice President JD Vance Sunday, calling him a "lightweight" following a pair of international losses that unfolded in rapid succession.

“JD Vance proves he's a lightweight twice in 48 hours," Newsom posted on X. "Congratulations to the people of Hungary -- democracy, free press, and human rights win today. There is hope.”

The jab landed following the collapse of US-Iran ceasefire negotiations in Islamabad and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán conceding defeat after more than a decade and a half in power. 

Ceasefire talks stall after marathon negotiations

The diplomatic effort in Islamabad was meant to stabilize a fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran. Instead, it ended with no deal.

Vance led the negotiations personally, engaging Iranian officials in discussions that lasted more than 21 hours. The goal on paper was to secure commitments from Iran regarding its nuclear program, but the outcome fell short.

Speaking to reporters after the talks broke down, Vance said, “We leave here with a very simple proposal, a method of understanding that is our final and best offer. We'll see if the Iranians accept it.”

He continued, “But the simple fact is that we need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon.”

Despite the extended negotiations, there was no breakthrough. “The bad news is that we have not reached an agreement," Vance added.

Orbán ousted as Vance’s campaign push falls flat

Meanwhile, a political gamble in Hungary also came up short.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was in power for 16 years, conceded defeat after his Fidesz party lost parliamentary elections to opposition leader Péter Magyar and his Tisza party. The outcome was a landslide, with Magyar’s party projected to secure around 135 seats (a two-thirds supermajority in the 199-seat National Assembly) with nearly half the votes counted.

Orbán acknowledged the loss at the Fidesz election night event. "The election results are not final yet, but the situation is understandable and clear," he said. "The election result is painful for us, but clear."

That said, the result carried added weight given Vance’s direct involvement in the campaign. Just days before the vote, he traveled to Budapest and openly backed Orbán.

At a joint rally on April 7, Vance declared he was there “to help” Orbán’s campaign, taking aim at the European Union in the process and urging Hungarian voters to push back against outside influence.

He told voters, "We want you to make a decision about your future with no outside forces pressuring you or telling you what to do. I'm not telling you exactly who to vote for but what I am telling you is that the bureaucrats in Brussels, those people should not be listened to."

Vance urged those in attendance to "go to the polls in the weekend, stand with Viktor Orbán, because he stands for you."

But the appeal didn’t translate into votes.

As Orbán’s defeat became clear, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the result. "Europe's heart is beating stronger in Hungary tonight. Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. A country reclaims its European path. The Union grows stronger," she declared on X.