Rubio says US sees 'two or three very qualified people' for top UN job

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said that the US believes there are "two or three very qualified people" for the job of United Nations secretary general, which will shortly be vacated by Antonio Guterres. In remarks reported by PassBlue, which covers the UN, Rubio said that if he revealed who Washington's preferred candidate was, "it would doom them to lose". "There's a couple really good candidates, people that we like, two or three, and the process will work itself out," Rubio said. "And I think we've expressed our views, but that - it's an ongoing process." US President Donald Trump's administration favours Emirati diplomat Lana Nusseibeh for the job, according to multiple diplomatic sources who have spoken with Middle East Eye. Her candidacy has been the subject of much controversy surrounding Abu Dhabi's support for the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has been found by the UN and US to have committed genocide in Darfur. "At some point the world will make a decision on who they want, and we have our opinions," Rubio said. "I talked about that with [French] President [Emmanuel] Macron just a moment ago, but I think we're just going to keep working it the way we are right now because other countries get a vote here as well." France is also believed to be backing Nusseibeh. "I hope France is aligned with us on the need to reform the United Nations," Rubio said. "The whole system is in need of reform." Secty Rubio on UN SecGen selection:Q: Can I ask about the UN secretary-general race? Do you have a favorite?SEC RUBIO: If I told you who the U.S. – if I told you who the U.S. wanted it, it would doom them to lose. Q: That’s his next job.SEC RUBIO: No, there’s a couple…— PassBlue (@pass_blue) November 10, 2026