Officials within the Trump administration are reportedly backing former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for the position of UN Secretary-General, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The report states that Orbán could emerge as a joint candidate backed by the United States, Russia, and China, with sources from all three countries confirming the Trump administration’s support for his candidacy.
Read also: Hungary: Former Orbán government minister arrested on public funds embezzlement charges
Orbán’s fall from power and his ties to Trump, Putin, and Xi Jinping
Following Hungary’s parliamentary elections in April, Orbán lost power after 16 years in government, suffering a decisive majority defeat at the hands of Péter Magyar.
Throughout his tenure, Orbán’s far-right, staunchly anti-immigration, and Eurosceptic policies — combined with a significant rollback of the rule of law in Hungary — repeatedly put him on a collision course with his country’s Western allies, including the European Union and NATO.
Nevertheless, the former Hungarian leader maintained close ties with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Since Magyar’s electoral victory, Hungarian authorities have launched fraud and corruption investigations targeting several members of Orbán’s former government. Two former ministers and the former governor of the Hungarian National Bank have already been arrested on related charges, while the possible involvement of Orbán himself has not been ruled out.
“When the US, Russia, and China want the same thing in the UN Security Council, they usually get it”
According to the American newspaper, no final decision has been made. A US State Department official acknowledged that the idea sounds far-fetched at first, but suggested the proposal has the backing of both Moscow and Beijing. The goal is for Orbán to stand as the consensus candidate of all three powers. “When the United States, Russia, and China want the same thing in the UN Security Council, they usually get it,” American officials told the newspaper.
However, the White House and Beijing have not confirmed the report. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov, meanwhile, pushed back on the notion, stating that none of the three countries can formally nominate Orbán: “Neither Russia, nor the United States, nor China will nominate Orbán, because we are permanent members of the UN Security Council and cannot nominate anyone for the position of UN Secretary-General,” he told the Interfax news agency, adding that if the press reports are accurate, those behind the idea would need to find a third country willing to put Orbán’s name forward.
According to the WSJ, Orbán would only be willing to run if his election were guaranteed — a scenario that currently appears unlikely.
A candidate must secure the support of at least nine of the 15 members of the UN Security Council, and any of the five permanent members holds veto power over any nomination. In addition to the US, Russia, and China, France and the United Kingdom are also permanent members.
Two European governments have already voiced their opposition to the prospect of Orbán being put forward as a candidate. The current Secretary-General, António Guterres, is set to complete his term on December 31.
