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 is for Monday’s match, and the UEFA soccer body in Europe called FIFA’s move 鈥渋ncomprehensible and unjustifiable.鈥�
Trump criticizes the referee’s red card call
In remarks on Monday, Trump called the referee’s decision a 鈥渉orrible鈥� call. He added that 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 making what he described as a brilliant decision in 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.”
Trump’s Oval Office event focused on , and he immediately sought to deflect attention away from the World Cup controversy. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 want to know anything about soccer slash football,鈥� he said of reporters gathered in the Oval Office. 鈥淔ortunately, they won鈥檛 be asking any questions on that. Nobody cares about that, right?鈥�
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who joined Trump at the event, turned attention back to the red card. “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�
Pressed on the extent of his role, Trump said that he made his case to Infantino but that 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 tell him what to do, I can鈥檛 tell him what to do.鈥�
Separately on Monday, 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.
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. Brazilian referee Raphael Claus 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 on 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 slo-mo 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.
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