United States’ Folarin Balogun (20) reacts to a red card in the course of the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between the US and Bosnia in Santa Clara, Calif., near San Francisco, Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
WASHINGTON–President Donald Trump confirmed Monday he asked FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to review the “horrible” decision at hand a red card to star US striker Folarin Balogun, but said he didn’t request or not it’s overturned.
“I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump told reporters on the White House. “All I did was ask for a review, I didn’t say you’ve got to do that.”
“That wasn’t even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into one another,” Trump said.
The Republican president — who said “I understand sports rather well” — acknowledged that he was initially unaware that the red card meant Balogun was barred from the subsequent game, saying the rule is “very unfair.”
Trump took aim at Raphael Claus, the Brazilian referee who made the decision, describing him as “a little bit bit suspect for those who check his past.”
Balogun had been set to miss Monday’s last-16 knockout clash against Belgium after receiving a straight red card following a video review for stepping on the ankle of a Bosnian defender in a round-of-32 clash that the US won 2-0.
Under FIFA rules, a straight red card routinely triggers a one-game ban, which can’t be appealed by the player’s team.
‘Rigged’ like election
President Donald Trump speaks at a lunch within the White House Rose Garden, Monday, July 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
US media reported that the red card kicked off multiple days of lobbying by the Trump administration aimed toward getting the choice overturned.
The hassle involved officials including Andrew Giuliani, the chief director of the White House FIFA Task Force, in addition to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also publicly called for the red card to be rescinded.
After the non-public call from Trump, world football’s governing body said Sunday the ban would now be suspended for a yr, with Balogun only serving it if he commits one other similar foul inside that period.
“We’re going to have a full team, and Belgium goes to have a full team, and you recognize what? In the event that they beat us, then they will be really proud,” the US president said Monday.
“The opposite way, in the event that they beat us… I say it was rigged, similar to the election was rigged in 2020,” Trump said, referring to his false, repeated claim that he was the true winner of the election won by Democrat Joe Biden.
The choice to permit Balogun to play has been slammed by Belgian football officials, who released an announcement saying they were “astonished” by a move that’s in “direct contradiction” with FIFA’s own rules.
Top scorer Balogun has been key to the US team’s progress within the tournament, scoring 3 times, and his absence against Belgium would have been a serious blow to the team within the upcoming game in Seattle.
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The choice to suspend the ban was taken by FIFA’s disciplinary committee.