The Trump administration has encouraged former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to seek the role of UN secretary-general, with Russia and China believed to be backing his potential candidacy, the WSJ reports. U.S. officials see Orban as a joint candidate backed by Washington, Moscow and Beijing, and estimate he could secure at least eight votes on the 15-member U.N. Security Council, with 10 on hand. Urban is said to be interested but hesitant to enter the race without confidence he can win. President Trump and Vice President J. Dee Vance is expected to support his candidacy, with a possible announcement following the US midterm elections. One State Department official described Urban as the ideal candidate for the conservative MAGA movement.

The Trump administration has encouraged former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to seek the role of UN secretary-general, with Russia and China believed to be backing his potential candidacy, the WSJ reports. U.S. officials see Orban as a joint candidate backed by Washington, Moscow and Beijing, and estimate he could secure at least eight votes on the 15-member U.N. Security Council, with 10 on hand. Urban is said to be interested but hesitant to enter the race without confidence he can win. President Trump and Vice President J. Dee Vance is expected to support his candidacy, with a possible announcement following the US midterm elections. One State Department official described Urban as the ideal candidate for the conservative MAGA movement.