Senator Ted Cruz thanked President Donald Trump for what he described as 'getting rid of that ridiculous red card,' referring to the controversial sending-off of United States striker Folarin Balogun during a World Cup match. The red card, issued by referee Raphael Claus after a video review, was initially upheld, but FIFA later lifted the one-match ban, making Balogun available for Monday's game against Belgium.
FIFA's No-Appeal Rule and Trump's Intervention
Despite the decision being widely criticized as excessively harsh, FIFA's disciplinary code does not permit appeals against straight red cards. Officials from both FIFA and U.S. Soccer confirmed after the match that the sanction could not be challenged under normal procedures. However, Trump revealed during an Oval Office appearance that he had personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to urge a review. 'I said I think it should be reviewed, because I watched the play, and he [Balogun] didn't do anything wrong,' Trump told reporters.
Trump's Comments on the Game and Election
The president continued to refute the decision that Balogun fouled Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic, insisting that soccer officials must allow the U.S. team to 'use their best players.' He added, 'The game tonight is going to be amazing, and we're going to have a full team, and Belgium is going to have a full team. If they [Belgium] beat us, then they can be really proud. The other way, if they beat us … I say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020, but I won't get into that.'
