President Donald Trump's inner circle mobilized within minutes of a red card to keep the United States' leading scorer on the field at the World Cup, according to Politico, which reconstructed four days of lobbying stretching from the Oval Office to FIFA's Zurich headquarters.
Striker Folarin Balogun was sent off in the 64th minute of the Americans' 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday, drawing an automatic one-match ban that would have sidelined him for Monday's round-of-16 match against Belgium in Seattle. Politico reported that White House World Cup task force director Andrew Giuliani alerted Trump almost immediately, and that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and U.S. Soccer officials began working to challenge the call. The outlet said it spoke to a half-dozen U.S. government and soccer officials directly involved in or briefed on what happened.
The New York Times first reported that Trump phoned FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review, a call CBS and ESPN later confirmed. On Sunday, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee said Balogun's suspension was suspended for a one-year probationary period under Article 27 of its disciplinary code, clearing him to play. Trump posted on Truth Social: "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!"
The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was "astonished" and is weighing an appeal. Belgium coach Rudi Garcia was sharper at a Sunday news conference:
"I didn't know that at the FIFA World Cup, the 5th of July is now the 1st of April, April Fool's Day. We're not defending the national team or the federation — we are defending football, its ethics and its integrity."
The intervention left analysts and fans reacting online, some noting Balogun is a birthright citizen, the status the Supreme Court affirmed last week when it ruled against Trump's order to end it.
Trump, who helped bring the tournament to the U.S. but said in May he wouldn't pay its ticket prices himself, is expected to help present the trophy on July 19.