Since his return to power and in the run-up to the World Cup, Donald Trump has become inseparable from FIFA President Gianni Infantino. So much so that the Swiss awarded him the FIFA World Prize (created especially for him), changed the regulations of their institution to allow the American president to award the trophy to the winners of the competition, or even agreed to revoke a red card given to a US player to avoid a match disqualification. A loyalty that the Republican intends to reward.
According to the New York Post, Donald Trump plans to nominate Gianni Infantino for the post of UN Secretary General to replace António Guterres, who has held this position since January 1, 2017 and will leave at the end of the year after 10 years in office. “Trump believes Infantino is respected around the world and recognizes that he has a special talent for bringing people together,” a source explained to US media to justify the candidate’s proposal.
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“He knows how to lead”
The next UN Secretary-General will be elected in December by the 15 members of the Security Council, including five permanent members with veto power, and must then be confirmed by the General Assembly. Candidates may declare themselves or be nominated by the state. But of the seven candidates already announced, not one seems to have a unanimous opinion. So Chile’s former socialist President Michelle Bachelet could face opposition from the US, while Argentina’s Rafael Grossi could face opposition from Britain over the Falkland Islands issue. So Donald Trump has the trump card of nominating his own candidate.
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Speaking to the New York Post, close Trump (and Infantino) adviser Paolo Zampolli confirmed that Switzerland’s bid for the nomination is “brilliant” because the FIFA president is “appreciated by everyone” and “will likely bring new energy to the vast bureaucracy and use sport to build new bridges and inspire young people and the poor around the world.” “There are certain similarities” between the roles of FIFA president and UN secretary general, he also insists: “At the United Nations you have to manage 193 member states. At FIFA there are more than 200 (and) Gianni’s exceptional record proves that he knows how to lead.”
Very meager salary (in comparison)
This appointment could, above all, benefit the reconciliation of the United States with the UN. Because since his first term as president, Donald Trump has continued to criticize the organization’s “inaction” to resolve conflicts, sharply cutting his country’s aid to the organization and going so far as to withdraw from many of its agencies, including the World Health Organization, UNESCO and the UN Human Rights Council.
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However, the unknown factor remains: does Gianni Infantino really want to leave FIFA and join the UN? If the 56-year-old accepts the appointment, it certainly won’t be for the money: while he currently earns around $6 million a year from FIFA, Antonio Guterres earns $418,000 a year. For now, he remains a candidate for re-election at the head of world football.