FIFA's Infantino reversal is a cautionary tale for Trump
FIFA President Gianni Infantino took a call from President Donald Trump pressing for review of Folarin Balogun's red-card ban, and FIFA's disciplinary committee later deferred the one-match suspension, clearing the U.S. striker to face Belgium on Monday. Critics say the episode damaged FIFA's credibility—and mirrors Trump's own trust deficit on governance, justice, and crypto.
Key Takeaways
- Trump confirmed he called Infantino to press for a review after Balogun's red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- FIFA's disciplinary committee deferred the one-match ban under a one-year probation, a move UEFA and Belgium condemned.
- The White House dismissed birthright-citizenship irony as an "asinine observation" after critics noted Balogun's U.S. eligibility.
- The U.S. lost 4-1 to Belgium anyway, with Christian Pulisic subbed out in the 59th minute with a leg injury.
- The Atlantic links FIFA's credibility crisis to Trump's crypto gains and Justice Department controversies.
Why did Trump call Gianni Infantino?
President Trump confirmed Monday that he phoned FIFA President Gianni Infantino after Balogun received a red card in the United States' 2-0 Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The automatic one-game suspension would have sidelined the striker for the Round of 16 clash in Seattle.
Trump called the referee's decision "horrible" and said it would have been a stain on the tournament if Balogun could not play. Infantino said he explained to Trump that FIFA's judicial bodies operate independently, though he acknowledged regular contact with heads of state during the World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
How did FIFA justify lifting the suspension?
On Sunday, FIFA's 18-member disciplinary committee announced it had suspended implementation of Balogun's ban for a one-year probationary period under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. Committee chair Mohammad Al Kamali said the body did not overturn the red card itself.
Belgium and UEFA pushed back sharply. European soccer's governing body warned that "the integrity of the game is at stake," and critics noted FIFA had not suspended a World Cup red-card ban since the current rule took effect. Infantino insisted political influence played no role in the outcome.
What did the White House say about birthright citizenship?
The controversy gained a political layer when observers noted Balogun is eligible for the U.S. team only because he was born in New York City after his pregnant mother could not board a flight back to London. Trump has sought to restrict birthright citizenship, though the Supreme Court struck down his executive order last week.
Deputy press secretary Kush Desai told The Hill the criticism was "kind of an asinine observation," arguing birthright citizenship was meant for freed slaves' children, not "birth tourists." Desai said the administration would continue examining the issue under the law.
Why is FIFA a cautionary tale for Trump?
Writing in The Atlantic, David A. Graham argued the Balogun episode shows what happens when an institution forfeits the benefit of the doubt. FIFA's history of corruption, he wrote, means few will believe its disciplinary process was disinterested—even if the outcome was fair.
Graham drew parallels to the Trump administration's handling of bribery charges against Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and to reporting that Trump gained at least $1.4 billion from crypto last year—topics that sit squarely in our Fintech & Crypto Alerts coverage. Unlike FIFA, Graham noted, a federal government must maintain a popular mandate.
What happened when the U.S. finally faced Belgium?
Despite Balogun's reinstatement, the controversy ended anticlimactically on the pitch. The U.S. fell 4-1 to Belgium at Lumen Field on Monday, eliminated from the World Cup in the Round of 16 for the fourth time in five tournaments.
Christian Pulisic, the team's star, was subbed out in the 59th minute after suffering a leg injury. Balogun was "not much of a factor," Yahoo Sports reported, as defensive lapses—including a costly goalkeeper error—doomed Mauricio Pochettino's side.