SerpApi.Org
Donald Trump wants Gianni Infantino, the Fifa president, to be the next secretary-general of the UN, sources have said.
The US president said Mr Infantino was “respected by everyone around the world” and that he had a “special ability to bring people together”, the New York Post reported, citing a source close to Mr Trump.
He wants the football administrator to replace António Guterres, the Portuguese incumbent who will step down in December.
Mr Infantino, 56, became close with Mr Trump during the run-up to the World Cup, which was partly hosted by the US this summer.
The Swiss former general secretary of Uefa has made elaborate efforts to charm Mr Trump, even handing him the first Fifa Peace Prize in December after he failed to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Mr Infantino drew widespread criticism during the tournament when Fifa overturned a red card suspension for Folarin Balogun, the US striker, following an intervention by Mr Trump.
Their relationship dates back to the US’s bid for the competition in 2018, when Mr Trump hosted Mr Infantino at the White House.
In 2020, Mr Trump invited him back to Washington for the signing of the Abraham Accords.
He also attended Mr Trump’s Board of Peace meeting at the beginning of this year, where he pledged a new stadium, Fifa academy and various football fields to Gaza as part of a $7bn relief package.
Last December, human-rights advocacy group Fair Square filed a complaint with Fifa’s ethics committee, accusing Mr Infantino of repeated breaches of the governing body’s code regarding political neutrality, including his public support for Mr Trump’s “actions and policies”.
During the draw for the World Cup, Mr Infantino gave Mr Trump a golden trophy with his name on it and a medal to hang around his neck.
The US president also stayed onstage during Spain’s celebrations after handing the trophy to the competition’s winners.
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Mr Infantino would need to be endorsed by the UN Security Council and receive confirmation from the General Assembly to become the next secretary-general.
But sources said he could secure multiple nominations alongside Mr Trump’s.
It was unclear whether Mr Infantino wanted the job or whether Mr Trump had broached the topic with him.
Current contenders for Mr Guterres’s position include Michelle Bachelet, Chile’s former president, and Rafael Grossi, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Mr Trump has frequently expressed his dissatisfaction with the UN, accusing it of contributing to “uncontrolled migration” and “sabotage” while cutting funding and mandatory payments to the board.
Last year he created the US-led Board of Peace, prompting speculation that Mr Trump was trying to replace the body, which he denied.
Paolo Zampolli, Mr Trump’s special envoy for global partnerships and a personal friend of Mr Infantino, said of the potential nomination: “Only President Trump could have such a genius idea.”
He told the Post that Mr Infantino “would do a great job” and was “liked by everybody”.
“At the UN, you have to deal with 193 member states. In Fifa, there are more than 200 members [and] Gianni’s great record shows he knows how to manage,” Mr Zampolli said.
The Telegraph has approached the White House for comment.
