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US President Donald Trump wants former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to become the new Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), reports The Jerusalem Post, citing sources from several countries. According to the newspaper, US officials presented the proposal to Orban and encouraged him to join the race. Although he has shown interest, he has not yet made a final decision regarding his candidacy, The Jerusalem Post writes.
The report states that, based on prior discussions in Washington, it is believed that Russia and China would support Orban’s candidacy—potentially making him a consensus candidate backed by all three superpowers. Officials from the US and another nation noted that when Washington, Moscow, and Beijing reach an agreement on an issue within the Security Council, they are generally able to see it through.
A US State Department official acknowledged that the proposal initially seemed unrealistic, but argued that Orban could garner significant support within the Council. By his estimate, eight of the 15 members of the Security Council would have “no problem” supporting his candidacy, with the potential to secure up to ten votes. However, the report does not cite any official pledges of support for Orbán from any country. France and the United Kingdom could pose one of the biggest obstacles to Orbán’s candidacy. Both nations are permanent members of the UN Security Council and hold veto power, meaning they could block the selection of a candidate even if a majority of other members supported it.
However, the newspaper reports that U.S. officials believe London and Paris might be reluctant to block a candidate backed by the United States, Russia, and China. Neither of these two European countries has yet announced its position. According to the report, Orban was open to the proposal but expressed certain reservations, given his identity as a nationalist politician. Reportedly, he is hesitant to announce his candidacy until he is certain of victory.
A State Department official described Orban as an “ideal candidate for MAGA conservatives,” citing his opposition to mass immigration and liberal non-governmental organizations, as well as his stance against influential power centers within the Hungarian judiciary and media. Throughout his tenure, Orbán has frequently clashed with the European Union while simultaneously cultivating close ties with China.
Trump endorsed Orbán during the Hungarian elections in April, and Vice President J.D. Vance also participated in the campaign. According to another source familiar with the initiative, Trump and Vance are expected to support Orbán in the race for the head of the UN, should he decide to run. The source added that any official announcement would be deferred until after the U.S. midterm elections. The term of the current UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, ends on December 31.