Trump wants to nominate FIFA chief for UN secretary-general: Report

AA - US President Donald Trump wants FIFA President Gianni Infantino to be the next secretary-general of the UN, the New York Post reported Tuesday.

Citing a source close to Trump, the Post reported that the president believes that Infantino “is respected by everyone around the world, and recognizes he has a special ability to bring people together."

Infantino, 56, developed close ties with Trump during this year’s World Cup, with the Swiss-born FIFA president making repeated efforts to court the US leader, including presenting him with FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize in December, the report said.

A successor to current UN chief Antonio Guterres will serve a five-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2027.

Under Article 97 of the UN Charter, the secretary-general is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council.

To obtain the post, Infantino would first need the backing of the 15-member Security Council, where any of the five permanent members can exercise a veto, before winning approval from the General Assembly.

Trump has repeatedly criticized what he sees as the UN's failure to play a more active role in resolving major global conflicts. Last year, he established a US-led Board of Peace, prompting speculation that he was creating an alternative to the UN as his administration pursued peace agreements, including between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. Trump denied those claims.

Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has sharply reduced US funding for the UN and withdrawn the US from several UN-affiliated organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO).