US President Donald Trump wants FIFA President Gianni Infantino to be the next secretary-general of the United Nations, the New York Post reported on Tuesday.
The Post quoted a person close to Trump as saying that the president believes Infantino is the one “respected by everyone around the world” and it has “A special ability to bring people together.” It is unclear, however, whether the Swiss-born director of football wants the job, the newspaper added.
Infantino has reportedly developed a close relationship with Trump, awarding him the first FIFA Peace Prize in December after the US president repeatedly argued that he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end conflicts. Their friendship came under scrutiny during the FIFA World Cup, which America co-hosted with Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Shortly before the round of 16, FIFA unexpectedly suspended the one-match ban for American star Folarin Balogun. Trump later confirmed that he had called Infantino to review the punishment, which he believed was unfair.
UEFA, the governing body of football in Europe, condemned the move and said it was an unprecedented case of political interference. Infantino, however, denied having any role in the decision regarding the American player. The United States was eliminated after being beaten 4-1 by Belgium.
A new Secretary General of the United Nations will be elected later this year as the term of Antonio Guterres ends in December. His successor must first be approved by the 15-member Security Council and then by the General Assembly. Everyone who has ever held that position has been a politician or diplomat.
Although the permanent members of the UN Security Council have the real decision-making authority, the secretary-general serves as the main representative of the organization on the international stage.
Trump, who had a successful career as host of the reality TV show The Apprentice, has appointed several former athletes and entertainment personalities to government positions. He named Linda McMahon, co-founder and former CEO of WWE, as education secretary in his second term.
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