U.S. President Donald Trump wants FIFA president Gianni Infantino to become the next United Nations secretary-general, succeeding Antonio Guterres, whose term expires at the end of December.
Trump views Infantino as globally respected with a unique ability to bring people together, according to sources close to the White House including Paolo Zampolli. It remains unclear whether Infantino, a European, would accept the post, which traditionally rotates to Latin America.
The selection process presents significant hurdles. A candidate must first be nominated by at least one UN member state, then approved by the Security Council with nine affirmative votes and no veto from any of its five permanent members — meaning Trump would need to persuade China and Russia to back his preferred choice.