Belgian Prime Minister's cat 'mocks' Trump over player suspension request

A feline social media star has become the latest to "mock" U.S. President Donald Trump, this time in the form of Maximus, the cat belonging to the Belgian Prime Minister. The online jabs followed reports that Trump had urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to reverse a suspension for U.S. player Folarin Balogun before the team's World Cup match against Belgium.

Maximus, already popular on social media and presented by the Prime Minister's PR team as a Garfield-like figure with political commentary, appears to have reached a new peak in his online career. An Instagram post from Maximus's account featured the cat waking up with a plush toy representing Trump. The caption read, "I slept very well last night. And you?"

The Belgian team ultimately defeated the U.S. 4-1. Earlier, Maximus had "commented" on Balogun's red card situation, stating he didn't care and the player would play anyway. Belgian coach Rudi Garcia later noted that Balogun's suspension was not his fault, despite Trump's alleged insistence on his participation.

Reports from The Guardian indicated Trump had contacted FIFA multiple times to secure a "conditional red card" for Balogun, a claim later confirmed by both the U.S. President and FIFA. This intervention sparked widespread public reaction. The Belgian Prime Minister and Trump are scheduled to meet at a NATO summit soon, though Trump may not be in a jovial mood, especially considering potential discussions about Belgium's NATO commitments, according to the Hungarian portal 444.hu.