A rare alliance between the United States, China and Russia? Wall Street Journal: Trump administration plans to push former Hungarian Prime Minister Orban to run for United Nations Secretary-General

Sources from three countries confirmed that the Trump administration in the United States is actively promoting former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to serve as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. The United States has encouraged the former prime minister to join the election campaign. It was the United States that even proposed the idea from the beginning. It is believed that Russia and China will support it. Orban is expected to get 8 or even 10 votes among the 15 members of the Security Council.

The Wall Street Journal reported on the 25th that a U.S. State Department official admitted that this proposal sounds crazy at first, but it is believed that China and Russia will provide support and make Orban a "common candidate" for the three major powers. Although there are numerous reasons for opposition, such as the possibility that Orban will become the defender of dictators such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. officials maintain that Orban is a dream candidate for the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) conservatives, mainly because of his tough attack on mass immigration, liberal non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and Hungary's left-leaning courts and media.

Orban often clashes with the EU, but at the same time draws subsidies from the EU. His pro-China stance does not damage his image as a "defender of Western civilization." Trump expressed support for Orban in the Hungarian election in April this year, and Vice President JD Vance even campaigned for him. According to people familiar with the matter, if Orban joins the race for United Nations Secretary-General, the United States is expected to support him again, but the official announcement time is expected to fall after the U.S. midterm elections in early November.

U.S. officials found that Orban, despite his hard-line nationalist stance, was cautious but open to the option and stressed that he did not plan to run unless he was sure he could win. Orban himself declined to comment.

Another source pointed out that other candidates vying for secretary-general mostly prefer "secretary" qualities with experience in international bureaucracies or behind-the-scenes diplomacy, while Orban is a "general". State Department officials agreed that Orban has an ideology recognized by the United States, knows how to exercise power in a hostile environment, and will not be intimidated by the "establishment" at the United Nations Headquarters.

Lana Nusseibeh, the former ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, has announced her candidacy and is scheduled to take questions on the 27th. The Security Council will hold a new round of intention voting (straw poll) on the 28th. It is expected that other candidates may join the fray.