WSJ: Trump Team Backs Orban for UN Secretary-General
The Trump administration is promoting Hungary's former prime minister Viktor Orban for the post of UN secretary-general, counting on support from Russia and China, The Wall Street Journal reported on 26 October, citing sources.
According to the paper, the United States not only backed Orban's decision to enter the race but even suggested the idea to him. One State Department official admitted that at first glance it sounds crazy. Yet judging by earlier talks with Washington, Russia and China are believed to support it, and the plan is for Orban to become their joint candidate.
The Security Council arithmetic
US officials and an official from another country said that when the US, Russia and China want the same outcome in the UN Security Council, they usually get it. A State Department representative counted eight Security Council votes that would back Orban "without problems" and another 10 votes among the 15 members that could be secured.
One American official called Orban "the perfect candidate for conservatives who support the MAGA movement", largely because of his actions against mass migration, liberal NGOs, left-leaning courts and the press. The paper adds that Orban often clashed with the European Union while benefiting from its subsidies, and that his pro-China orientation never undermined his image as a defender of Western civilisation.
Timing and rivals
If Orban declares his candidacy, Trump and Vice President JD Vance are expected to support him again, though a source familiar with the process says the announcement will wait until after the US midterm elections. US officials first contacted Orban to gauge his interest in the post and found him positive, though with reservations.
The other candidates, according to a representative of a second country, are mostly "secretaries" with backgrounds in international bureaucracy or behind-the-scenes diplomacy, whereas Orban would be a "general". The State Department representative agreed, adding that Orban holds the right ideology, knows how to wield power in hostile conditions and will not be intimidated by the establishment.
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