The White House on Thursday refused to confirm or deny that President Donald Trump is backing FIFA president Gianni Infantino to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters she was not present for all of Trump’s conversations with Infantino, but noted the two speak frequently and that the president holds “great respect” for the Swiss-Italian football administrator. Her remarks followed a New York Post report citing sources close to Trump who said the US leader views Infantino as an internationally respected figure capable of bridging divides, and is actively promoting him for the post.

According to the New York Post, Trump’s enthusiasm for Infantino was reinforced during the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The tournament saw the two men appear together at official events, and Infantino presented Trump with a newly created FIFA Peace Prize. The relationship drew scrutiny after Trump acknowledged telephoning Infantino to request the lifting of a red-card suspension for American forward Folarin Balogun. Neither Infantino nor FIFA have commented on the report, and it remains unclear whether the football chief is interested in the role.

The next UN secretary-general will be elected this year to succeed António Guterres, whose term expires at the end of December. Under the established procedure, the Security Council must first recommend a candidate — where the United States, as a permanent member, holds a veto — before the General Assembly confirms the appointment. Diplomatic observers in New York note that any US-backed candidate would still need the support of the other four veto-wielding members, and that Trump’s record of withdrawing from the Paris climate accord, the World Health Organization and the UN Human Rights Council has strained Washington’s relationships inside the multilateral system.

Viewed from European capitals, the trial balloon is seen as an extension of Trump’s transactional approach to international institutions, with commentators in Berlin noting that the president’s domestic challenges — including falling approval for his Iran policy — have not dimmed his willingness to reshape global governance through personal ties. The FIFA presidency, which oversees 211 member associations, is often compared in scale to the UN’s 193 member states, though the selection process for the world body is governed by diplomatic convention rather than sporting elections. No formal nomination has been made, and the dossier remains at the stage of unattributed media reports, with the Security Council’s deliberations expected to begin in the coming months.