Trump intervention prompts FIFA to reverse World Cup red card ban for US striker Folarin Balogun

President Donald Trump personally intervened in a FIFA disciplinary matter, requesting a review of a red card issued to U.S. striker Folarin Balogun during a World Cup match. Trump described the foul called by the referee as "horrible" and argued that the incident was simply a collision between two athletes, not an infraction.

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All I did, I asked for a review, because I didn't think it was a foul.

"All I did, I asked for a review, because I didn't think it was a foul," Trump told reporters. He asserted that the referee's call was unfair and that it was important for the U.S. team to have its best players on the field. FIFA subsequently reversed the red card ban, a decision Trump called "brilliant."

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I saw the play. That wasn't a foul. That wasn't even an infraction. That was two guys running whole speed that happened to crash into each other.

This unprecedented intervention has placed FIFA's disciplinary process under intense global scrutiny and sparked an angry response from Belgium, which was set to play the U.S. for a spot in the quarter-finals. European soccer body UEFA criticized FIFA's decision, stating it had "crossed a red line" and undermined the integrity of the game.

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I think the referee's call was horrible.

"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision," UEFA said in a statement. "Yesterday's decision... crossed a red line." The Royal Belgian Football Association also expressed "astonishment" and indicated it would challenge Balogun's eligibility for the match. The affair highlights the complex relationship between international sports governance and political power.

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I didn't tell them what to do. I can't tell them what to do.