According to the newspaper, Trump believes the 56-year-old Infantino "is respected all over the world" and "has a unique ability to bring people together". The two men grew closer during this year's soccer World Cup, and in early December Infantino awarded Trump FIFA's first-ever Peace Prize.
The term of current U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of Portugal ends in late December. Any successor must be recommended by the 15-member U.N. Security Council, where five permanent members hold veto power, before being confirmed by the General Assembly.
The Post said Trump sees an opportunity to push Infantino's candidacy despite an informal rule of geographic rotation under which the post would this time go to a representative of Latin America or the Caribbean. Frequently mentioned candidates include former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi of Argentina.
It remains unclear whether Trump has discussed the proposal with Infantino directly, the Post said. The FIFA president, who earns about USD 6 million a year, is currently seeking re-election to his post, with the vote set for March. As U.N. secretary-general, Infantino would earn about USD 418,000 annually.
Paolo Zampolli, the U.S. special representative for global partnerships, called Trump's idea "brilliant," saying Infantino "would do a great job" and "is liked by everyone". Zampolli said Infantino's experience running an organization of more than 200 soccer federations could translate well to leading the U.N., which has 193 member states.
The Post noted that Infantino's selection could help ease strained relations between the Trump administration and the United Nations. Since returning to the White House, Trump has cut U.S. funding to the U.N. and withdrawn the country from several of its agencies, including the World Health Organization, UNESCO and the U.N. Human Rights Council.
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Source: PAP