Former President Donald Trump has expressed support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to succeed Antonio Guterres as the next United Nations Secretary-General, according to a report by the New York Post.
Trump and Infantino collaborated on organizing the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. During this period, Infantino's organization rented office space within Trump Tower in New York City.
Sources cited by the Post suggest Trump views Infantino as someone "respected by everyone around the world" and possessing a "special ability to bring people together." These sentiments emerge despite significant international criticism directed at Infantino and FIFA concerning various political, economic, and social issues that overshadowed the recent World Cup.
Antonio Guterres, the current UN Secretary-General from Portugal, is scheduled to retire at the end of the year. The process for selecting a new secretary-general does not require prior UN experience and has few formal nomination rules. However, candidates must secure the endorsement of the 15-member UN Security Council, where the five permanent members—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—hold veto power. The General Assembly then votes to confirm a candidate.
Seven candidates have officially been nominated, with a prevailing precedent favoring individuals from Latin America, South America, or the Caribbean. Among the leading contenders are former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, the current director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Infantino, a Swiss national, would deviate from this geographical rotation.
This endorsement comes at a time when the U.S. has reduced its contributions to the UN and withdrawn from several affiliated organizations, including the World Health Organization, UNESCO, and the UN Human Rights Council, since Trump's presidency.
Infantino, 56, is also preparing to run for re-election as FIFA president in March. His current annual compensation as FIFA president is approximately $6 million, which would be significantly reduced to $418,000 if he were to be appointed UN Secretary-General.