US President Donald Trump has called the referee who sent off American striker Folarin Balogun at the World Cup "suspect" and admitted he personally phoned FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the decision. Trump broke his silence on the controversy after FIFA suspended the red card and the subsequent one-match ban, allowing Balogun to play in the next game.
Trump questions referee's integrity
Speaking to the press, Trump said he had "looked at the referee's past" and found him to be "suspect." The President insisted the incident was not a foul and claimed the review happened because of his phone call to Infantino. "I thought it was a terrible call," Trump said. "I called Gianni and said, 'You have to look at this.' And they did."
Senator Cruz thanks Trump for intervention
Senior Republican Senator Ted Cruz publicly thanked Trump "for getting rid of that ridiculous red card." Cruz praised the President's intervention, saying it was essential for fairness in the tournament. The red card was shown during the USA's Round of 32 match in the FIFA World Cup 2026, sparking widespread debate.
FIFA's decision to suspend ban
FIFA's disciplinary committee reviewed the incident and decided to suspend the one-match ban, allowing Balogun to feature in the subsequent round. The governing body did not comment on whether Trump's call influenced the decision, but the President took credit for the outcome. "Without my call, he would have missed the next game," Trump said. "It's a big deal."
