The Trump administration is being urged to adopt an assertive stance to ensure that the next leader of the United Nations aligns with U.S. and Western principles, rather than yielding to what critics describe as an increasingly anti-American body.
António Guterres, the former socialist prime minister of Portugal, is scheduled to conclude his term on December 31, 2026. His period in office has been marked by significant conflicts and crises, drawing accusations of bias against him, particularly concerning Israel.
Experts agree that the Trump administration must closely scrutinize potential candidates to determine who best serves the interests of the United States.
Anne Bayefsky, director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and president of Human Rights Voices, told Digital, “As long as the United States persists in the error of being the primary financier of the United Nations and allows U.N. headquarters (which some label a fifth column) to remain so close to our financial capital, it should be deeply invested in who governs the organization.”
Jonathan Wachtel, a former director of communications and senior policy advisor at the United States Mission to the United Nations for U.S. ambassadors Nikki Haley and Kelly Craft, stated, “Since its inception, the United Nations has functioned as a frontline of the Cold War, and today it increasingly serves as a forefront of antagonism toward the United States.
“As the Security Council prepares for its mid‑2026 indicative votes, we confront the stark reality that Russia and China can veto any candidate who reflects our values, even as they endeavor to undermine U.S. foreign policy and erode Western principles. The next secretary‑general must … be a leader with fortitude and conviction to champion the ideals upon which the U.N. was founded, and which the United States has long upheld — life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the broadest possible population.”
With just over a year remaining until the selection process, member states have begun to put forward candidates deemed most suitable for their national interests.
Brett Schaefer, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, informed Digital that of the candidates mentioned thus far, few would likely be considered acceptable to the U.S.
“The announced and rumored candidates … are, for the most part, either U.N. veterans or lean towards the left side of the political spectrum,” Schaefer said. “It’s difficult to assert that the U.S. would be prepared to endorse any of them at this current juncture.”
As election campaigns commence, Hugh Dugan, former National Security Council special assistant to the president and senior director for international organization affairs, told Digital, “After campaigns, a series of straw polls, and candidate eliminations, members of the Security Council will present the U.N. General Assembly with a preferred candidate for their formal endorsement late next year.”
Dugan indicated that tradition would suggest the next secretary-general should hail from . He also highlighted a growing desire to appoint a woman, following 15 years of calls for a female secretary-general.
“If they are truly to assume command of such a struggling, largely irrelevant, and unmanageable organization, they will need to demonstrate strong managerial skills,” Dugan remarked.
Amidst the election’s “three-ring circus,” he noted that six candidates have been officially named, with an additional eight considered potential contenders for the position.
Among those declared, the current head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, , appears to be the most agreeable candidate for the U.S. This Argentine diplomat, Grossi, has been addressing Iran’s ambitions to develop nuclear weapons while simultaneously working to prevent a nuclear disaster in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Schaefer stated that Grossi is “probably the most acceptable among the candidates that have been listed so far” given the “significant courage” he has exhibited in his role at the IAEA.
Other individuals include David Choquehuanca, the former Bolivian Vice President. A member of the Movement for Socialism, Choquehuanca once expressed his disdain for Western ideologies after his election as Bolivia’s foreign minister.
Michelle Bachelet, the former Chilean President, served as the U.N. high commissioner for human rights between 2018 and 2022. U.N. Watch reported that, in this capacity, Bachelet frequently condemned Israel and the U.S. but “ignored widespread violations by China, Turkey, North Korea, Cuba, Eritrea” and others.
According to Schaefer, it is “extraordinarily improbable that [Bachelet] would receive support from the U.S.” due to her political leanings and her “remarkable lack of bravery in performing her duties as the high commissioner for human rights.”
Rebeca Grynspan, former Vice President of Costa Rica, who led the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), had advocated for regulation as a means “” of international finance.
Schaefer commented that Grynspan would not “be an ideal candidate from a U.S. perspective” because her 30-year U.N. career establishes her as a “consummate insider” who would likely be disinclined “to disrupt the system.”
The field is completed by two external candidates: Colombe Cahen-Salvador, a left-wing political activist and co-founder of the Atlas Movement, and Bruno Donat, a dual Mauritius-U.S. citizen and official at U.N. Mine Action Service.
Although not yet officially put forward by a member state, Dugan listed several other officials who are likely to be nominated in the coming months. Many of these individuals originate from the political left and are unlikely to secure the backing of the Trump administration.
A former prime minister of New Zealand, who resigned from the role but is regarded as “a global icon of the left.” Schaefer noted that Ardern’s prior resignation is not “a strong endorsement” of her capability to assume the demanding role of secretary-general.
Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s former top diplomat, possesses 14 years of experience as the head of the U.N.’s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. She currently serves as the secretary of environment and natural resources.
Other individuals named include María Fernanda Espinosa, formerly defense and foreign minister of Ecuador; Amina Mohammed of Nigeria, the U.N. deputy secretary‑general; Kristalina Georgieva of Bulgaria, managing director of the since 2019; and Achim Steiner of Germany, former head of the U.N. Development Programme.
“A long succession of anti-American secretaries-general, culminating in the profoundly hostile Antonio Guterres, have inflicted immense harm on America’s international relations, fostered antisemitism globally, and significantly diminished global peace and security,” Bayefsky stated.
“We imperil ourselves by taking a secondary role in this election.”