Viktor Orbán lost in Hungary. He may win at the United Nations.
Trump administration officials are urging the former Hungarian prime minister to run for U.N. secretary-general, according to the Wall Street Journal's editorial board on Sunday. Orbán would run as a joint candidate of the United States, Russia, and China.
'When the US, Russia, and China all want the same thing at the UN Security Council, they usually get it.'
Russia and China are believed to be backing Orbán as well, according to the Journal. No final decision has been made, and Blaze News was unable to independently confirm the Journal’s reporting in the op-ed.
"As officials from the U.S. and a second country told us, when the U.S., Russia, and China all want the same thing at the U.N. Security Council, they usually get it," the editorial reads.
The White House, the Kremlin, and Beijing have not confirmed the report to other outlets.
Current Secretary-General António Guterres’ second term ends Dec. 31. No viable contender has emerged as a replacement yet.
Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images
An Oct. 16 poll showed that none of the seven declared candidates had unanimous backing from permanent Security Council members the U.S., the U.K. China, Russia, and France, according to the Associated Press.
Each permanent Security Council member has wide-ranging veto powers over U.N. resolutions and actions.
The front-runners — U.N. trade chief Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica; U.N. nuclear chief Rafael Grossi of Argentina; and Guyana's Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett — each drew two "discourage" votes from veto-wielding powers, according to two diplomats who spoke to the AP. It is unclear which Security Council states oppose their candidacies.
"This institution, after 80 years, has tried to become everything to everyone," U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz told reporters.
Waltz rejected a DEI approach to choosing a new secretary-general.
“We understand there is a desire for regional rotation,” Waltz said, according to the AP. “Of course, if the best candidate is a woman, we would welcome that — but we really just need the best candidate.”
A nominee needs nine of the Security Council's 15 votes and no veto. France and the United Kingdom, both holding veto powers, may present roadblocks for an Orbán candidacy.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk mocked the idea on Monday.
"Just a moment ago, he was a candidate for president of the European Commission. This seems to me just as funny as that first rumor," Tusk said, according to Politico.
The European Union was glad to see Péter Magyar's Tisza party win Hungary’s recent elections. Magyar, who ran an E.U.-friendly, center-right, and anti-corruption campaign, ended Orbán's 16-year rule in a landslide victory.
Trump previously called Orbán a "true friend" and endorsed him. Vice President JD Vance also campaigned for him in Hungary.
Since Tisza took power, Hungarian authorities have launched fraud and corruption investigations into former Orbán officials. Two former ministers and the former governor of Hungary's central bank were detained as part of ongoing inquiries, according to Euronews.
Orbán himself has not been charged with any wrongdoing. If Orbán actually become U.N. secretary-general, he could enjoy diplomatic immunity from any potential investigations or prosecutions.
Orbán's spokesperson previously dismissed reports about the U.N. deputy secretary-general post as "fake news."
Orbán's press office, the White House, and the State Department did not respond to requests for comment from Blaze News.
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