DONALD Trump wants to nominate Gianni Infantino to become the next UN Secretary-General, it has been reported.
The friendship between the US President and the FIFA President has long been under the spotlight ever since the politician was awarded the FIFA Peace Prize and the US won the right to co-host the World Cup.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino holds a USA hat as he attends the inaugural Board of Peace meeting at the US Institute of Peace in Washington Credit: Reuters
Trump on stage with his pal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Draw Credit: Reuters
A source close to the President told The Post that he senses an opening, considering the seven candidates in the race.
Infantino “is respected by everyone around the world, and recognizes he has a special ability to bring people together,” Trump believes, according to the source.
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But it is unclear if Infantino wants the job and if Trump has actually told him about the prospect of a nomination.
The current Secretary-General, António Guterres, will complete his second term at the end of 2026.
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The list of candidates campaigning to succeed him includes Michelle Jeria, the former President of Chile, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, Rebeca Mayufis, the Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, and Macky Sall, ex-President of Senegal.
Additionally, María Garcés and Carolyn Birkett previously entered the race.
Whoever eventually replaces Guterres will oversee the UN’s tens of thousands of staff members, manage its budget, and use their independent “good offices” to mediate disputes and prevent international conflicts – an important role to say the least.
Paolo Zampolli, the Italian-American businessman and diplomat serving as Trump’s US Special Representative for Global Partnerships, told The Post that “only Trump could have such a genius idea.”
Infantino takes a selfie with Trump during the 2026 World Cup official draw Credit: Getty
The pair stand as confetti comes down after the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina Credit: Getty
He said Infantino “would do a great job” and is “liked by everybody”.
He added that “there is some similarity” between his current role as FIFA president and UN Secretary-General.
“At the United Nations, you have to deal with 193 member states,” he said.
“In FIFA, there are over 200 members [and] Gianni’s great record shows he knows how to manage.”
Less than 24 hours ago, Trump declared this World Cup as “the most spectacular by far” and praised his pal for elevating the tournament “to a level that nobody thought was possible.”
“The World Cup turned out to be a spectacular success,” he posted on Truth Social.
He added: “Thank you to… the fantastic president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, on a job well done!
“Few people will ever be able to accomplish what he has done in elevating the World Cup to a level that nobody thought was possible.”
Trump is presented a referee red card by Infantino Credit: Getty
The two carry the FIFA World Cup trophy Credit: Getty
Serious questions have been raised about some particularly controversial decisions made by Infantino during the tournament.
One of them is the overturning of US striker Folarin Balogun’s red card after considerable political pressure.
UEFA blasted the decision to suspend the ban as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable,” saying FIFA had “crossed a red line.”
Additionally, European Parliament lawmakers Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters and Niels Fuglsang said in a joint statement that the decision is a “disgrace and a perversion of justice.”
How is the UN Secretary-General elected?
THE UN Secretary-General is elected by the 193-member General Assembly based on the formal recommendation of the 15-member Security Council.
In practice, the five permanent members of the Security Council – the US, the UK, China, France and Russia – wield the ultimate decision-making power.
The actual selection and appointment is a complicated and lengthy process that starts months in advance.
Nomination: Candidates must be formally proposed by one or more member states
Vision statement: Each candidate outlines priorities for the role
Interactive dialogues: Public sessions with member states and civil society
Security Council recommendation: At least nine votes, with no veto from permanent members
General Assembly appointment: Majority support from the 193 member states
“Once again, we’ve seen Infantino and FIFA surrender to the demands of the Trump administration,” the statement said.
It added: “The beauty of sport is that it is based on impartial and transparent rules.
“When Infantino allows political pressure to determine who gets to play, this sense of fairness goes out the window.”
Speculation about a nomination comes months after Trump won the FIFA Peace Prize in a star-studded ceremony in December.
At the time, the president was handed the massive trophy, which is three times bigger than the World Cup’s, by Infantino.
He said Trump had earned the award for his “unwavering commitment to advancing peace and unity throughout the world,” citing the wars he is said to have ended.
After shaking the sport’s leader’s hand and putting on a medal, the president called the prize “truly one of the great honours of my life.”
