Trump Reportedly Backs Gianni Infantino for UN Secretary-General

Reports say US President Donald Trump is supporting FIFA president Gianni Infantino as a contender for the post of UN secretary-general. According to the report, Trump regards Infantino as someone who can bring people together worldwide and considers him a strong candidate.

Gianni Infantino currently serves as president of FIFA, the global football governing body, and the reported endorsement follows interactions between the pair at recent football events. The two men are said to have grown closer during the recent FIFA World Cup tournament. At one point, Infantino presented Trump with FIFA's inaugural Peace Prize award. Any prospective candidate for the UN’s top diplomatic role must obtain backing from the UN Security Council and then win approval from the General Assembly.

The account places emphasis on the personal dynamic that developed between Trump and Infantino around the World Cup, suggesting that familiarity underpins the reported preference. Those interactions are cited as a factor in the president’s view of Infantino’s suitability. The report frames Trump’s assessment in terms of unity and broad appeal rather than specific diplomatic experience.

Infantino’s recognition of Trump via the FIFA Peace Prize is noted within the same reporting, linking a formal gesture from the football federation to the relationship now described. The prize presentation is presented as part of the chronology that led to closer ties between the two figures. The report does not elaborate on the circumstances of the award beyond that connection.

Procedurally, the UN selection mechanism remains unchanged regardless of any outside endorsements: a candidate requires Security Council support followed by General Assembly endorsement. That two-step requirement is a central element of any campaign for secretary-general and is reiterated in the report. The presence or absence of endorsements within those UN bodies will ultimately determine whether a nomination can advance.

The report portrays the matter as a notable intersection of sport and international diplomacy, with a sitting head of state expressing preference for a leading sports official. It underscores the reported nature of the endorsement rather than presenting it as an established candidacy.

Any movement toward an actual nomination would still have to navigate the formal UN procedures, beginning with Security Council backing and culminating in a General Assembly vote. Until such institutional steps occur, the report’s account remains a public indication of Trump’s preference rather than an official candidacy announcement.