US Urges Viktor Orban to Run for UN Secretary-General

The US has called on Viktor Orban to participate in the election race.

The Donald Trump administration is nominating former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban , known for his pro-Russian views, for the post of UN Secretary-General. According to The Wall Street Journal , the United States has urged Orban to run – and it was the American side that initiated the initiative.

A split image featuring two political leaders. On the left, a man with short hair and a slight smile against a blue background, and on the right, a man with gray hair and an orange tie, speaking at a podium with a European flag backdrop.

A US State Department official admitted that at first glance this sounds crazy. However, judging by previous talks with Washington, Russia and China are ready to support this idea; it is assumed that Orban will become their joint candidate.

According to the publication’s sources, “if the US, Russia and China act as a united front in the UN Security Council, they usually get their way.”

According to estimates by a State Department representative, Orban can “confidently” count on eight votes in the Security Council, and in total – on the support of 10 of its 15 members.

It is not yet known whether the United Kingdom and France will obstruct the will of the majority, as these countries are usually very cautious in using their veto power.

Donald Trump endorsed Viktor Orbán in Hungary’s April election, and J.D. Vance campaigned on his behalf. They are expected to back Orbán if he is nominated for a UN post; a formal announcement is being delayed until after the US midterm elections, according to a source familiar with the situation. Orbán is “the perfect conservative MAGA candidate,” according to a US official.

US officials reportedly contacted Orbán themselves to see if he was interested in serving at the UN. He expressed interest, but made it clear that he would not run unless he was confident of winning.

As a representative from another country noted, the remaining candidates for the position of Secretary General are dominated by “secretaries” – people with experience working in international bureaucratic structures or in the field of behind-the-scenes diplomacy. Orban is a “general.”

“The best thing that can be said about the idea of nominating Orban is that it will tear down the masks: the UN will get a leader who will match the low level to which the organization itself has already sunk,” the WSJ states.

(C)UNIAN 2026