Donald Trump Reacts After Folarin Balogun's Red Card Reversal Snowballs Into Major Row At FIFA World Cup 2026
US President Donald Trump has now said that he did indeed call FIFA President Gianni Infantino, whose "level of respect has gone up tenfold."
- Folarin Balogun's red card was revoked before the US vs Belgium Round of 16 match
- US President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review
- Referee Raphael Claus was previously investigated for match-fixing and irregular cards
FIFA World Cup witnessed an unprecedented controversy as USA star Folarin Balogun's red card was revoked ahead of a Round of 16 match between Belgium and the co-hosts. Balogun, who has scored three goals for the US in the FIFA World Cup 2026, received a red card for stepping awkwardly on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemovic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 2-0 Round of 32 win on Wednesday, triggering an automatic one-game suspension. Several reports then claimed that US President Donald Trump's intervention resulted in the red-card U-turn.
Trump has now said that he did indeed call FIFA President Gianni Infantino, whose "level of respect has gone up tenfold."
“All I did was ask for a review,” Trump was quoted as saying by AP, when asked about it during an unrelated Oval Office event. “I didn't say, ‘You have to do this.'”
A reporter asked Trump: "Can you describe your phone call with Gianni Infantino about the red card? Belgium is appealing the decision."
"You're asking me about the whole soccer thing. So, yeah, I did. I spoke to Gianni, who is highly respected, who has produced the most successful World Cup ever. I saw the play. I understand sports really well. That wasn't a foul. That was two guys running at full speed who happened to crash into each other. You can't properly place your foot on somebody else's foot when you're going at full speed. No, these were two great athletes who got tangled up," Trump replied.
He went on to cast aspersions on the referee. "And this referee, who is a little bit suspect - if you check his past. I don't want to say that because I don't like to create controversy, but very suspect. If you'd like, I'll provide you with his past," Trump said.
Reporter: Can you describe your phone call with Gianni Infantino about the red card? Belgium is appealing the decision.
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 6, 2026
Trump: You're asking me about the whole soccer thing. So, yeah, I did. I spoke to Gianni.
That wasn't a foul. That wasn't even an infraction. That was two… pic.twitter.com/zpC1e5L818
Who Is the Referee In Question?
According to a report, the referee in question, Raphael Claus, who is from Brazil, "was previously investigated by his home country due to a 2024 CPI parliamentary inquiry, which summoned the 46-year-old as a witness regarding match-fixing and sports betting. Multiple clubs, primarily Botafogo, raised concerns over Claus' decisions and alleged patterns of irregular cards in Série A matches."
Trump described Balogun as the US' "best player" and explained how he asked FIFA for a review.
"He didn't do anything wrong, and he's our best player, or one of our best players-a very vital player-and they gave him a red card. I didn't know what that meant. I didn't think it meant much. Then I started hearing that it means you can't play in the next game, at least in the next game. I said, 'Boy, that's big' You know, if it happened to another player, it would have been unfair, but when they take your best player-or just about; they have some great players-and say you can't play, that's very unfair," Trump said.
"That's one thing, to penalize somebody for the game. But how do you penalize them for a game that hasn't been played yet? It's very unfair. You can't do that. So, yes, I asked for a review by FIFA. I spoke to a man who is highly respected, and by the way, whose level of respect has gone up tenfold."
American players learned of Balogun's availability when social media posts started popping up during the 10-minute bus ride on Sunday morning from their hotel to training at the University of Washington's Husky Soccer Stadium, where they were greeted by Dubs II, the university's Alaskan Malamute.
Balogun's red card had been one of the World Cup's most controversial and consequential decisions. Brazilian referee Raphael Claus didn't initially signal a card but showed Balogun a red card after a video review.
"If you look at the foul, there was zero intent at all," U.S. star Christian Pulisic said. "I felt like there were much worse ones in this tournament."
What Is Belgium's Reaction
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was "astonished," and Belgium coach Rudi Garcia mocked FIFA's action.
"I didn't know that in the offices of FIFA, the fifth of July was the first of April in Europe," Garcia said through a translator in an April Fools' Day comparison. "The Belgian federation does not defend itself; it does not protect the national team. It defends football in general, and it defends its integrity and ethics. I think it's the first time in the history of the World Cup that there has been this kind of decision."
Garcia wouldn't respond when asked about a possible appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport or whether he thought Trump influenced FIFA's decision.
"In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options," the Belgian federation said in a statement.
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