Trump says he saw World Cup play that led to Balogun's suspension

Washington — President Trump said helium saw the World Cup play that led to U.S. Men's National Team shot prima Folarin Balogun's one-game reddish paper suspension, and past spoke to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and asked for a review. 

The U.S. team's striker was fixed a reddish paper during the team's Wednesday lucifer against Bosnia and Herzegovina, eliminating him from the adjacent game. Balogun was penalized for stepping connected the close ankle of Tarik Muharemović of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

FIFA reversed the one-match suspension, though that reversal is facing criticism and an appeal. The president told reporters successful the Oval Office Monday that helium "saw the play," and Balogun's determination didn't represent a foul oregon an infraction. Mr. Trump said helium talked with Infantino astir the incident.

"I'm a idiosyncratic that loves sports and was a bully athlete," helium said. "And I recognize sports truly well. Really well. And that wasn't a foul. That wasn't adjacent an infraction. That was 2 guys moving afloat velocity that happened to clang into each other. You can't instrumentality your ft and decently spot it connected idiosyncratic else's ft erstwhile you're going — no, these were 2 large athletes that got tangled up."

Folarin Balogun #20 of the U.S. fouls Tarik Muharemovic #4 of Bosnia and Herzegovina which is aboriginal reviewed by VAR and awarded arsenic a reddish paper foul during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match, connected July 01, 2026, successful Santa Clara, California. Michael Steele / Getty Images

"And this referee, who is simply a small spot fishy if you cheque his, if you cheque his past," the president said. "I don't privation to accidental that due to the fact that I don't similar to make controversy, but precise suspect. If you like, I'll supply you with the past. He made a telephone that cipher could believe. Even radical connected the different side, they said 'We got lucky.'" 

The president said Balogun "didn't bash thing wrong." Despite his assertion that helium knows sports "really well," the president admitted helium astatine archetypal didn't cognize what the reddish paper meant.  

"Then I started proceeding that that means you can't play successful the adjacent crippled — astatine slightest successful the adjacent game," helium said, arguing it's "very unfair" to penalize idiosyncratic for a "game that hasn't been played yet."

"Yes, I asked for a reappraisal by FIFA," helium said of his speech with Gianni. 

"I spoke to a antheral who's highly respected and by the way, whose level of respect has gone up tenfold," helium added, seemingly referring to Infantino. 

But Mr. Trump said helium didn't archer Gianni what to do, and helium didn't instrumentality recognition for FIFA's reversal. 

"All I did, I asked for a reappraisal due to the fact that I didn't deliberation it was a foul," helium continued. "... If they wouldn't allow, you know, a apical player, possibly the best, possibly among the champion players connected the team, I deliberation it would person had a large stain. And I related, conscionable that, I didn't archer him what to do, I can't archer him what to do."