Trump’s Direct Involvement and Stance

Trump made the remarks during an Oval Office event on Monday, responding to a reporter’s question. “I asked for a review by FIFA,” he said. At the same time, the president said he had “nothing to do with the decision.”

Trump described the incident as a collision between “two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled,” arguing it was not a foul. “That was not a guy punching somebody in the face or anything that, you know, would be different,” he said.

“It’s one thing to penalize somebody for the game, but how do you penalize them for a game that hasn’t been played yet?” he said. Trump also criticized the referee and questioned the fairness of penalizing a player for a future match. “It’s very unfair. You can’t do that.”

FIFA’s Response and Institutional Independence

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, whom Trump called “highly respected,” confirmed he received a call from the former president. Infantino emphasized the independence of FIFA’s judicial bodies in a statement, stating they “operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them.”

Infantino added that their independence is “essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.” He also noted that he regularly discusses matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, he did receive a call from Trump, “just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football those involved and business executives from around the world on many different issues.”

Trump, in a statement reported by Politico journalist Sophia Cai, ruled out any involvement by then-President Joe Biden in the matter. “It wasn’t Biden, Biden was asleep,” he said.

Controversy and Reactions

The decision to allow Balogun to play has attracted widespread criticism from across football, including European football’s governing body UEFA. The U.S. had initially banned Balogun from Monday’s match after he received a red card last week.

Trump insisted his intervention was limited to asking for a review, without demanding any specific outcome. “All I did was ask for a review. I didn’t say they had to do this,” he clarified.

The remarks come amid an ongoing dispute between the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) and FIFA over the lack of explanation for the lifting of Balogun’s suspension. Trump’s direct involvement adds a new political dimension to a controversy already marked by accusations of institutional opacity.