US Representative Raskin Demands Answers from FIFA President Infantino on Trump Ties

U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin has launched an investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino, citing "growing evidence of corruption and quid pro quo" between the international football organization and the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Raskin, the ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, sent a letter to Infantino demanding he respond to an interview request by August 9. The letter also includes a five-point questionnaire. Raskin seeks a comprehensive list of all valuable items, including gifts and awards, given to Trump, his administration members, or close associates. He also wants documentation related to FIFA's rental agreement at Trump Tower and a "FIFA Peace Award."

The investigation touches upon communications and documents concerning matters before the U.S. Department of Justice and other U.S. agencies, as well as FIFA's ticketing practices for the World Cup, consumer complaints, and pricing strategies. Raskin alleges that Infantino's FIFA has "aggressively campaigned to curry favor with Donald Trump, including through outright bribery." He claims FIFA rented office space in Trump Tower at an inflated price for minimal use and invented a "Peace Award" for the former president.

In return, Raskin asserts, the Trump administration allegedly "abandoned anti-corruption law enforcement and allowed FIFA to operate as a transnational criminal organization with impunity." This refers to the Trump Justice Department's recent decision to drop investigations into FIFA's 2015 bribery scandal, citing shifting administration priorities. A White House spokesperson, Davis Ingle, commented on Raskin's initiative to The Athletic, calling it "lightweight."