US President Donald Trump speaks at the launch of Trump Investment Accounts in the Oval Office of the White House on July 6, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Mandel Ngan | AFP | getty images
President Donald Trump on Monday defended the call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino that led to the soccer association overturning a one-game World Cup suspension of U.S. men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun.
“I asked for a review because I don’t think it was foul,” Trump said, referring to the red card issued to Balogun by the referee in his team’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina last week.
“I didn’t know what a red card was,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office of the White House.
The card resulted in Balogun being ejected from that match – and the 25-year-old was barred from playing in the US’s game against Belgium on Monday night.
But FIFA suspended the ban on Sunday, allowing Balogun to play in Monday night’s knockout match against Belgium in Seattle.
Trump said of his call to Infantino, “I didn’t tell him what to do. I can’t tell him what to do.” “And I don’t believe he’s made a decision.”
The president said that if Balogun’s suspension had been upheld for the match against Belgium, “it would have left a big mark on the game, whether we lost or won.”
“If they beat us, they can be real proud,” Trump said of the Belgian team.
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