Trump Derangement Syndrome was on full display after a red card controversy in the World Cup had the left insisting that the president had manipulated the outcome.
Contrary to the narrative, President Donald Trump did not “put his thumb on the scale” after US Men’s National Team striker Folarin Balogun was suspended, despite the calls from the president and other U.S. officials in response to FIFA’s disciplinary code.
The one-game suspension would have prevented the striker from playing for the team’s match against Belgium on Monday.
This play is being reviewed for a potential red card against the US pic.twitter.com/EdyPpgpycA
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 2, 2026
But by Sunday, FIFA had overturned Balogun’s red card suspension, with reports that Trump, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, “and Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House Task Force for the World Cup, helped recruit lawyers and communicated with U.S. Soccer officials as they presented their case to FIFA to ask for Balogun’s ban to be lifted,” according to Yahoo Sports.
Breaking: Folarin Balogun will be available to play in USA’s Round of 16 match against Belgium on Monday, FIFA announced.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has suspended the red card issued to the USA striker during their Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. pic.twitter.com/Vei4RKDKfP
— ESPN (@espn) July 5, 2026
“President Donald Trump intervened in Folarin Balogun’s red card controversy in the World Cup, calling FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ask for a review of the controversial decision in the Round of 32 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina, a source confirmed to Fox News,” the outlet reported. “It’s unknown what exactly Trump said to Infantino, who the 45th and 47th president has called a ‘great leader in sports’ and a friend.”
Politico’s Sophia Cai posted a breakdown of the events that led to FIFA’s reversal, including the governing body’s insistence that the “decision was an independent one made by its 18-person disciplinary committee.”
FULL timeline of the campaign to bring Balogun back, according to a half dozen U.S. government & soccer officials:
– Wednesday after U.S.-Bosnia match: Andrew Giuliani alerted Trump to the red card (Trump & Giuliani had been talking multiple times/week since start of World Cup…— Sophia Cai (@SophiaCai99) July 6, 2026
The left’s meltdown over Trump’s involvement was called out on social media.
It benefits both Trump haters and Trump glazers to blame or credit him for the the FIFA redcard reversal, but I’m told it’s just not true
You can now all return to your regular scheduled programs and ideological corners to choose the narrative that suits you best… https://t.co/lBN2hd9iqv
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) July 6, 2026
If this story was identical but about a President Obama and his staff lobbying for the USA, there would be think pieces about how patriotic and tenacious it was.
Instead we have reflexive TDS.
— John Michaels (@johnm5454) July 6, 2026
FWIW, 2 sources who told me the same thing: Trump called Infantino to understand the rules, didn’t make a specific ask & was told it was being independently reviewed
“If Trump had put his thumb on the scale and achieved this result, he would have a field day bragging about it” https://t.co/m0wpgjwj2J
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) July 6, 2026
Who gives a $hit if Trump lodged a call to FIFA? That just proves he backs the players of Team USA – as you should expect from the President. Everybody knows it was a BS red card. Belgium quickly becoming Canada 2.0 with their whining.
— DPMPT19 (@dpmpt19) July 6, 2026
Wow imagine if you deep dived this much on Biden’s mental capacity
— PaintSandRepeat (@SandRepeat) July 6, 2026
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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