Trump's Presence Linked to Sporting Losses
Breaking a mirror. Walking under a ladder. Spilling salt. A black cat crossing one's path. After recent events, it feels safe to add one more item to the list of things said to bring bad luck: the support and intervention of Donald J Trump. The president's involvement in the US men's soccer team's World Cup campaign has sparked claims of a curse, as the team suffered a devastating 4-1 defeat to Belgium after Trump personally intervened to overturn a red card for star striker Folarin Balogun.
USMNT World Cup Collapse
Trump personally asked Fifa president Gianni Infantino to reverse Balogun's red card, which was controversially overturned, allowing him to play. Before Trump's intervention, the US was enjoying its best World Cup run in decades. After, they crashed out with an insipid performance. The defeat has fueled speculation that Trump's support brings bad luck to teams.
NBA Finals: Knicks Lose with Trump Watching
The curse theory gained traction after Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA finals in June between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks, on a 13-game winning streak, slumped to their first defeat in weeks with Trump watching, including during naps. The Knicks lost, adding to the pattern.
NFL and Nascar Failures
In November, Trump became the first sitting US president in nearly 50 years to attend a regular season NFL game, watching the Washington Commanders lose 44-22 to the Detroit Lions. Earlier in the year, Trump visited the Daytona 500, which faced three and a half hours of weather delays. When he served as grand marshal in 2020, the race was suspended after 20 laps due to rain, postponed to the next day for only the second time in history.
Ryder Cup and College Football
In September, Trump attended the Ryder Cup, where the US team lost to Europe, marking Europe's first victory on American soil in 13 years. In January, he watched the Miami Hurricanes lose to the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Indiana won.
Historical Precedent
The curse is not new. During Trump's first term, he attended Game 5 of the World Series in 2019, watching the Washington Nationals lose 7-1 to the Houston Astros. However, the Nationals won the series overall without Trump present in Game 7.
Trump's Winning Narrative Contradicted
Despite the evidence, Trump continues to portray himself as a winner. In a speech to Congress this year, he said, 'We're winning so much that we really don't know what to do about it.' He added, 'People are asking me: Please, please, please, Mr President. We're winning too much. We can't take it any more.' However, the mounting defeats suggest otherwise, with teams losing big when Trump is involved.
