President Donald Trump just gave a huge shoutout to FIFA boss Gianni Infantino on Friday, applauding what he called a “great decision” to yank that controversial red card given to USA striker Folarin Balogun earlier this month. Seriously, Trump went on record saying this whole move, which followed him *calling* Infantino to lobby for Balogun, was an “unforgettable” moment from the World Cup. You read that right: the President made a direct call to FIFA.
The “Recommendation” Heard Around the World Cup
Trump recounted the wild story at an event in New York City, describing how he was “forced to call Gianni and just make a recommendation” after Balogun got that red card. He even gritted his teeth and totally feigned being irate on the phone! “I said Gianni, I’d like to make a recommendation , LET THE GUY IN THE GAME!” Trump joked, immediately clarifying, “No I didn’t say that. I said I’d like to wage a complaint. And actually, I had no idea [the call would be reversed].” But whether it was a recommendation or a complaint, the call became a massive story, sparking tons of outrage from the jump. Washington Post opinion writer Kate Andrews warned that Trump’s lobbying would make it look “unfair” if the U.S. actually managed to beat Belgium on July 6. MS NOW anchor Katy Tur went even further, flat out arguing that Trump’s phone call made Americans “look like cheaters.” Talk about high stakes off the pitch!
Controversy Didn’t Matter as US Got Smoked
Here’s the kicker: for all the presidential phone calls and all the media firestorm, that yanked red card ultimately didn’t make much difference at all. The U.S. soccer squad got absolutely *smoked* 4-1 by Belgium on July 6. Ouch. But even with that crushing defeat, Trump still stood by Infantino’s decision, calling it a wise move because it guaranteed “no controversy” around which team deserved the win. “It was so much better the way it worked out, because there’s no controversy. They won the game and our team had all of its players,” Trump said Friday. “You made another great decision, if you think about it.”
Trump and Infantino were practically trading compliments at that press conference. Beyond the red card drama, Trump even found time to poke fun at England for blowing their 1-0 lead against Argentina. He also went ahead and declared that the record-setting TV viewership proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that the U.S. is now an official “soccer country.” So, while the U.S. team didn’t get the win, at least the President believes the sport is here to stay.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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