Trump Proposes FIFA President Gianni Infantino for Next UN Secretary-General
Donald Trump, President of the United States, has called for Gianni Infantino, President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), to be selected as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations; a proposal that could reshape the ongoing competition for the position.
The New York Post, citing its sources, reported that Trump views Infantino as a globally respected figure who has the ability to connect nations and bring countries closer together. According to the report, Trump believes none of the current candidates stand out prominently, with one informed source describing the seven current nominees as “weak.”
Gianni Infantino, 56, was born in Switzerland. His relationship with Trump grew closer during this year’s World Cup competitions; he appeared alongside the US President several times, brought FIFA’s gold trophies to the White House, and last December awarded Trump the first-ever FIFA Peace Award.
However, it is unclear how interested Infantino is in accepting such a nomination or whether Trump has formally discussed this matter with him.
According to the New York Post, Trump’s proposal could disrupt the expected process of selecting a nominee from Latin America or the Caribbean, a region that last held the UN Secretary-General position from 1982 to 1991 with Javier Pérez de Cuéllar from Peru.
The new UN Secretary-General is set to be chosen this year to succeed António Guterres, the current Secretary-General from Portugal, whose term ends at the end of December.
