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U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed his role in the red card controversy that has surrounded the U.S. men's national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup over the last two days.
Speaking to members of the press on Monday, Trump acknowledged that he had contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino, with whom he shares a close personal relationship, and "asked for a review" after star forward Folarin Balogun was controversially shown a red card in the round of 32 against Bosnia and Herzegovina last Wednesday. The President shared his take on the incident, in which Balogun's cleats made contact with the Achilles area of Bosnian center back Tarik Muharemović.
The red card decision—which had originally ruled Balogun out of the next match—has since been suspended for one year, enabling Balogun to feature in Monday's round of 16 fixture against Belgium.
"I didn't think it was a foul," Trump said. "I'm good at this stuff. I thought it was two great athletes who crashed into each other and got entangled; that was not a guy punching someone in the face or anything like that."
President Trump on Red Card Reversal: "I saw the play...that wasn't a foul...this referee, who is a little bit suspect if you check his past...It's one thing to penalize somebody for the game, but how do you penalize them for a game that hasn't been played yet. So, yes, I asked… pic.twitter.com/CIpIJNZAo7
"I think it's terrible if they wouldn't allow a top player, maybe among the best players on the team, to play. I think it would have had a big stain," he said. "I didn't tell [Infantino] what to do. I can't tell him what to do, but I don't believe he made the decision."
"You want to see a game with your best players. It would have really tarnished this incredible tournament. We've got to have our best players, and Belgium has got a great team, by the way. We have our best players, and they have to have their best, and whether we win or lose, it's fair."
The 80-year-old President has been a well-known soccer enthusiast for decades, once a regular attendee at New York Cosmos matches in the now-defunct North American Soccer League, where he recalled watching Brazilian icon Pelé during the final chapter of his career in North America. Trump also credits himself and his administration for securing the 2026 World Cup for North America and the 2028 Olympics for Los Angeles.
In December, Infantino personally created and presented the FIFA Peace Prize to Trump at the World Cup Draw in Washington, D.C., an event held at the Kennedy Center despite early reports suggesting it would take place in Las Vegas, before Trump requested the venue be changed.
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The President's deep connections with FIFA sparked international backlash over the Balogun ruling; however, FIFA has consistently maintained that the red card reversal was the decision of an independent disciplinary committee, not the White House.
According to reports from Politico and the New York Times, however, Trump was not the only White House figure involved in contesting the red card. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who was seated beside Infantino during the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, spearheaded efforts to recruit lawyers to resolve Balogun's suspension ahead of the round of 16, with contributions from Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup.
Before Trump's Monday remarks, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz also thanked the President for "getting rid of that ridiculous red card," adding: "There was a reason the FIFA trophy sat here for as long as it did."
Infantino Stresses Disciplinary Committee's Autonomy
While neither the White House nor Trump has reached out to Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever regarding the matter—and the European leader has not commented on it—the Royal Belgian Football Association has taken considerable steps to challenge the ruling, despite the slim chances of it being reversed before Monday's match. UEFA backed Belgium on Monday in an official statement, declaring that the decision "crossed a red line," while Trump indicated he would be "happy" to speak with De Wever but "hadn't thought about it."
The entire episode, however, raises serious questions about FIFA's Statutes, which state that all participants must respect political neutrality and that political interference is strictly prohibited.
Infantino also released a statement, reaffirming that: "FIFA's judicial bodies are independent, operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them."
"Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues. During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA's independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA's system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold."
Will Trump Be at USMNT vs Belgium?
Despite his significant involvement in the Balogun situation, Trump has yet to attend a single World Cup match this summer.
Barring any unexpected developments, he is also not expected to be present in Seattle on Monday, as he is scheduled to travel to Ankara, Türkiye, in the evening to attend NATO meetings beginning Tuesday, along with planned meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and President of the Syrian Arab Republic Ahmed al-Sharaa.
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To date, the only leader of a co-hosting nation to have attended the 2026 World Cup is Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who addressed players following the team's historic first World Cup victory. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also not attended any matches, choosing to give away her tickets and stand in solidarity with those who cannot afford to go.
Should the USMNT beat Belgium in Seattle, they would advance to the quarterfinal against either Spain or Portugal, with that match scheduled in Los Angeles on July 10.