President Trump is reportedly pushing former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to make a bid for UN secretary-general in effort to unite US, Russia and China.By David Rosenberg, World Israel NewsThe Trump administration is planning a diplomatic initiative to install former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as the next United Nations secretary-general, a move which would rely on the joint backing 0f Washington, Moscow and Beijing in an effort to break the deadlock over the organization’s leadership.American officials have approached Orbán about entering the contest to succeed António Guterres, whose second five-year term expires on December 31, according to a report published Sunday by The Wall Street Journal‘s editorial board, citing officials from three countries.The proposal reportedly originated in Washington, where members of President Donald Trump’s administration believe the nationalist Hungarian politician could win the support of Russia and China, potentially producing an unusual alignment among three of the Security Council’s five permanent members.Orbán, who lost power in Hungary’s April elections after 16 consecutive years as prime minister, has expressed interest but is reportedly unwilling to launch a campaign without assurances that he has a credible path to victory.The initiative remains preliminary, with no formal candidacy announced and no public confirmation from Moscow or Beijing that either government has agreed to support him.A State Department official acknowledged to the Journal that the idea initially appeared improbable but argued that an alliance among the three powers could prove decisive in the selection process.The official estimated that Orbán could obtain eight votes on the 15-member Security Council “comfortably,” with as many as 10 potentially attainable.A successful nomination requires at least nine affirmative votes and no veto from any permanent member. Britain and France could therefore block the Hungarian politician even if he secured the backing of the United States, Russia and China.American officials reportedly arrived at the proposal after repeatedly considering Orbán’s name during consultations about potential candidates.“Why not Mr. Orbán?” officials eventually asked, according to the Journal.The Trump administration regards Orbán as a particularly attractive candidate because of his opposition to mass immigration, his confrontations with European Union institutions and his longstanding ideological alliance with the American conservative movement.The Journal described him as “the dream MAGA-conservative candidate.”An official from another country contrasted Orbán’s political experience with the diplomatic backgrounds of his rivals, characterizing the former prime minister as a “general” rather than a “secretary.”Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who supported Orbán during Hungary’s April election campaign, are reportedly prepared to back him again if he enters the UN contest. Any public announcement could be postponed until after the November 3 US midterm elections.Orbán’s possible candidacy would represent a remarkable political comeback following his decisive electoral defeat by Péter Magyar’s center-right Tisza party.During his years in office, Orbán became one of the European Union’s most controversial leaders, frequently clashing with Brussels over immigration, judicial independence and democratic institutions.He also maintained unusually close relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and cultivated extensive economic ties with China, even as other European governments sought to reduce their dependence on both countries.His relationships with Moscow and Beijing are now being viewed by Washington as potential diplomatic assets, although they could also provoke resistance among European governments concerned about Russian and Chinese influence within international institutions.The initiative comes at a particularly difficult moment for the United Nations, whose effort to select a new secretary-general has failed to produce a candidate acceptable to the Security Council’s major powers.Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan has emerged as the leading contender in successive informal ballots. However, she and the other candidates faced opposition from multiple permanent members in the latest round of voting on October 16.US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz declined to discuss reports of Washington’s opposition to existing candidates, saying only, “We have always said we just simply need the best.”Asked about the prospect of new candidates entering the contest, Waltz said countries were entitled to put forward additional nominees.The deadlock has created an opening for alternative candidates, including veteran Emirati diplomat Lana Nusseibeh, who announced her candidacy last week.Nusseibeh, who served as the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the UN for more than a decade, said the organization needed leadership capable of restoring its effectiveness in resolving international conflicts.“It’s recognized today that we need someone who offers generational change for the organization,” she told Reuters.She argued that the UN must become an active diplomatic problem-solver rather than simply observe conflicts it is unable to resolve.Nusseibeh’s candidacy has also drawn interest in Israel, which maintains diplomatic relations with the UAE under the Abraham Accords.An Israeli official told Israel Hayom that Jerusalem would seek to clarify Washington’s position before assessing her prospects.“It would be interesting to know what understandings they’ve reached with the Americans and the Russians,” the official said. “It looks like they’re trying to make a move.”Nusseibeh is expected to appear before UN member states on Tuesday, ahead of another informal Security Council vote scheduled for Wednesday.The post Could next UN chief be a pro-Israel, Trump-aligned ‘dream MAGA’ candidate? appeared first on World Israel News.