According to The Wall Street Journal, President Donald Trump’s team is pushing for former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to become the next UN Secretary-General. The report states that Trump associates have already reached out to Orbán, who has expressed openness to the idea but insists on securing the position before formally entering the race—essentially refusing to serve as a token candidate.

A U.S. State Department official told The Wall Street Journal that American officials believe both Russia and China would also support Orbán, making him a potential consensus candidate acceptable to Washington, Moscow, and Beijing.

The current UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, will conclude his term on December 31. According to a recent report by the Associated Press, seven candidates are currently in contention—including Rebecca Greenspan of Costa Rica, Carolyn Rodriguez Birkett of Guyana, and Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency from Argentina—but none has yet secured the required backing from all five permanent members of the UN Security Council: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Under UN rules, a candidate must first gain approval from the Security Council, and any veto by one of the five permanent members effectively blocks the nomination.

According to sources at The Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration views Orbán as a “dream MAGA conservative candidate”—a figure whose ideology aligns with the Trump “Make America Great Again” movement and who demonstrates an understanding of wielding authority. Orbán stepped down after 16 years in power in May of this year. He has described his governance model as “illiberal democracy.” The 63-year-old politician has consistently criticized EU policies, clashing repeatedly with Brussels over issues including opposition to mass migration, restrictions on left-leaning NGOs, and resistance to LGBTQ+ initiatives.

Since the escalation of the war in Ukraine in 2022, Orbán has remained one of the few European leaders maintaining ties with Moscow. He has insisted on Hungary’s continued purchase of Russian energy and denounced Western sanctions as counterproductive. He has also consistently advocated for stronger economic cooperation between the EU and China. Orbán has referred to Trump as a “good friend” and visited the United States to support Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. In the run-up to Hungary’s recent general election, Trump publicly backed Orbán and sent Vice President J.D. Vance to Budapest to lend campaign support—an effort that ultimately did not secure Orbán’s re-election.

A U.S. State Department official estimated that Orbán could secure at least eight votes in the 15-member UN Security Council, with two additional votes considered possible. However, The Wall Street Journal notes that Britain and France may oppose Orbán’s candidacy, despite their usual restraint in using veto power. Trump has grown increasingly critical of the United Nations during his second term, arguing the organization has fallen far short of its “great potential.” Last month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow expects the next UN Secretary-General to represent the interests of all humanity—not just a select group of Western nations, as was the case under Guterres. Lavrov also noted that several candidates possess the qualifications necessary for the role.

Original: toutiao.com/article/1880156502530186/

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