President Trump intervened to save Team USA’s World Cup hopes — and leftists are furious he succeeded.
Star striker Folarin Balogun had his red card suspension overturned Sunday after Trump called FIFA boss Gianni Infantino and organized a legal team ready to sue the international soccer body. The reversal means Balogun can play in Monday night’s critical World Cup match against Belgium.
While USMNT players and fans celebrated the news, left-wing media figures spiraled into outrage over Trump’s involvement.
“I really hope Balogun does the right thing and refuses to play.” — Mehdi Hasan, calling for the US star to reject Trump’s intervention
British-American journalist Mehdi Hasan went so far as to plead with Balogun to reject Trump’s intervention entirely — essentially asking him to abide by the fraudulent red card and sit out the game.
Hasan wasn’t alone in the meltdown.
New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof framed FIFA’s correct reversal as proof of “Trump’s America making its own rules.”
Former Obama National Security Council member Tommy Vietor admitted the red card was an “injustice” that needed correcting — but still wrung his hands over how “the world” would view the development.
The angst ignores the facts.
The red card was assessed incorrectly. A Brazilian referee evaluated the play using slow-motion VAR footage — a direct violation of FIFA rules, which require referees to watch replays at game speed when determining penalty severity.
FIFA’s Article 27 allows the governing body to “fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.” That provision has been used before — and recently.
Earlier this year, Cristiano Ronaldo received a three-match ban for a red card in a World Cup qualifying match against Ireland. FIFA deferred two of those games to a one-year probation period, allowing him to play in Portugal’s opening World Cup matches.
The same article used for Ronaldo — a European soccer star — was used for Balogun.
So much for “special treatment.”
Trump didn’t bend the rules. He held FIFA accountable to their own process after a blown call threatened to derail America’s World Cup run. The red card suspension was reversed because it was wrongly imposed — not because the president “made his own rules.”
Leftists wanted Balogun benched. Trump made sure he could play. And now the world gets to watch Team USA with its best scorer on the field.
I obviously want the @USMNT to win against Belgium. But this seems correct to me: this would be the right thing for @balogun to do. To reject the unfair (dodgy?) intervention from @realDonaldTrump. https://t.co/JgqBjvZC61
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) July 5, 2026
This will appear to the world as favoritism and as FIFA bowing to political influence. If the U.S. wins, I fear that much of the world will see it as a win with an asterisk and as Trump’s America making its own rules even in the sports world. https://t.co/GK7XLt6rnq
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) July 5, 2026
