The president of the United States, Donald Trump, would be promoting the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, as a candidate for the next secretary general of the United Nations, according to the New York Post newspaper reported this Tuesday, citing sources close to the president.
According to sources close to the president cited by the newspaper, Trump considers that Infantino, 56, is an internationally respected person with the ability to unite different sectors, an assessment that would have arisen in part from the close relationship that both have developed during the organization of the 2026 World Cup.
The next UN Secretary General will be chosen this year to succeed the Portuguese António Guterres, whose mandate ends at the end of December, and must first have the recommendation of the Security Council, where the United States has veto power, before being confirmed by the General Assembly.
A tense history between Trump and the United Nations
During his two terms in the White House, Trump has maintained a tense relationship with the United Nations and has questioned the role of multilateral organizations, in addition to withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, announcing his departure from the World Health Organization and leaving the UN Human Rights Council during his first term.
The relationship between Trump and Infantino strengthened during the celebration of the 2026 World Cup, organized by the United States, Mexico and Canada, with both appearing together at various events linked to the tournament and the American president receiving the first FIFA Peace Prize in December, awarded by the organization led by the Swiss.
