WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President Donald Trump on Monday took credit for getting FIFA to issued against the United States鈥� star forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup but said he did not demand an outcome.
鈥淎ll I did was ask for a review,鈥� Trump said when asked about it during an unrelated Oval Office event. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 say, 鈥榊ou have to do this.鈥欌��
Trump confirmed that he called FIFA President Gianni Infantino and asked for a second look at against Balogun in against Bosnia-Herzegovina last week in Santa Clara, California, near San Francisco. But he said FIFA made the final call to lift Balogun鈥檚 mandatory one-game ban for a foul tackle, allowing him to play in Monday鈥檚 round of 16 match with Belgium in Seattle.
FIFA鈥檚 decision to suspend the one-game ban was celebrated by many in the United States but brought , where some called it an outrageous intrusion. The Belgian soccer federation for Monday’s match, and the UEFA soccer body in Europe called FIFA’s move 鈥渋ncomprehensible and unjustifiable.鈥�
Belgium ended up winning 4-1, eliminating the U.S. team from the tournament.
Trump criticizes the referee’s red card call
In remarks Monday, Trump called the referee’s decision a 鈥渉orrible鈥� call. He said it would have been a stain on the tournament if Balogun, the U.S.’ leading scorer at this year’s World Cup with three goals, was held out against Belgium and the U.S. lost. He praised FIFA for suspending .
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think it was a foul,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淚 thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled.鈥�
The Republican president, who said he understands sports 鈥渞eally well,鈥� acknowledged that he did not initially know what a red card is or the consequences it brings. When he learned it would lead to a one-game suspension for Balogun, he said, he decided to step in. He also took issue with the use of video review to issue the red card, arguing that slowed-down reviews can make plays look more aggressive.
鈥淏elgium has got a great team,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淲e have to have our best players, and they have to have their best. And if we win or we lose, it鈥檚 fair.鈥�
FIFA president defends the decision process
Soon after Trump addressed the controversy, Infantino issued a statement detailing his call with Trump and defending the independence of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee.
鈥淒uring our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA鈥檚 independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,鈥� Infantino said in a statement on X. 鈥淭hat is how FIFA鈥檚 system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who joined Trump at the White House event, credited the president for taking action. “On behalf of all Americans, thank you for getting rid of that ridiculous red card,鈥� Cruz said during his remarks. 鈥淚t was spectacular.鈥�
Separately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it was the right decision to lift the punishment for Balogun.
In rare comments during a photo op ahead of his meeting with Chile鈥檚 foreign minister, Rubio questioned why Belgium would want to win a match 鈥渋f everyone will argue you didn鈥檛 really win it because their best, or their leading, scorer was not on the pitch.鈥�
He joked that it was becoming an 鈥渋nternational incident鈥� ahead of in Turkey this week.
Trump also blamed the referee. Brazil’s soccer federation defended him
Trump took a swipe at the official who made the call, describing Brazilian referee Raphael Claus as 鈥渁 little bit suspect if you check his past.鈥� He did not elaborate.
Claus has been considered one of Brazil鈥檚 best referees in the last few years, often picked to officiate the nation鈥檚 most important matches, including the final of the 2024 Copa America.
During a match-fixing investigation by Brazil鈥檚 Senate in 2024, lawmakers scrutinized referee assignment practices but did not accuse Claus of wrongdoing.
On Monday, the Brazilian soccer federation defended Claus as one of the world鈥檚 leading active referees, praising his technical expertise and ethics. 鈥淭here is nothing in his record that calls his integrity into question or supports any suspicion of wrongdoing,鈥� the federation said in a statement.
The Sao Paulo Football Federation in a statement expressed 鈥渋ts unwavering support鈥� for Claus in the face of 鈥渞egrettable insinuations that attempt, without any basis, to cast doubt on his integrity and professional career.鈥�
How did Balogun get the red card?
The foul against was called after he planted his cleated foot on the ankle of Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic during their round of 32 match. The referee didn鈥檛 initially signal a card, but a slow-motion review resulted in the red card.
Balogun later said he thought , a formal warning, would have been fair.
FIFA’s decision drew quick rebuke Sunday from Belgium coach Rudi Garcia, who said it sounded like an April Fools’ Day joke. Meanwhile U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino applauded FIFA鈥檚 move, saying his team was punished enough by losing Balogun for the remainder of last week’s game.
As the drama played out on the pitch last week, it was immediately clear from the perspective of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, White House FIFA Task Force leader Andrew Giuliani and Trump administration officials that the process used to issue the red card to Balogun was improper.
Discussions over the red card and what to do about it dominated the flight from Santa Clara back to Washington. The consensus of the group, according to a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the talks, was simply: that the slow-motion replay was improper, so shouldn鈥檛 the red card be nullified?
The next day, Trump officials continued to dig into the rules, consult lawyers and speak with U.S. Soccer about the matter, according to the official, who insisted on anonymity to discuss private conversations.
Trump was also briefed on updates as he prepared to speak with Infantino, whom the U.S. president has talked with multiple times a week since the World Cup, which is being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, began June 11.
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Kim reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press photographer Manny Ceneta contributed from Washington. Associated Press writer El茅onore Hughes contributed from Rio de Janeiro and writer Tales Azzoni contributed from Madrid.
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