Trump Sparks Controversy With ‘Rigged’ Warning Ahead Of USA Vs Belgium Clash

United States President Donald Trump has joked that he would describe a defeat to Belgium in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 as “rigged,” drawing a comparison to his long-standing claims about the 2020 U.S. presidential election.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Trump made the remark during an event at the Oval Office in Washington, where he launched the “Trump Accounts” investment initiative for children.

His comments came as controversy continued over the United States team’s preparations for Tuesday’s Round of 16 clash against Belgium in Seattle, following FIFA’s decision to overturn the suspension of American forward Folarin Balogun.

Speaking about the match, Trump said both teams should be allowed to field their strongest players to ensure a fair contest.

“This game would have a big mark on it. If we lost, if we won, no matter what happened, you have to let them use their best players. And the game tonight’s gonna be amazing, and we’re gonna have a full team, and Belgium’s gonna have a full team,” he said.

Trump added that Belgium would deserve full credit if it defeated the United States under fair conditions.

“And you know what? If they beat us, then they can be really proud. The other way, if they beat us, we’ll say it was… I say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020, but I won’t get into that,” the president remarked.

Trump also revealed that he personally contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the red card shown to Balogun during the United States’ Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California, last Wednesday.

“I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said, adding that he “didn’t know what the hell a red card was” before the incident.

Balogun, regarded as one of the key players in the U.S. squad, was initially sent off during the match, a decision that automatically carried a one-match suspension under FIFA regulations.

The suspension would have ruled him out of the crucial Round of 16 encounter against Belgium.

According to The New York Times, citing three unnamed sources, Trump called Infantino last Wednesday to seek a review of the disciplinary decision.

FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee subsequently suspended Balogun’s ban for a one-year probationary period under Article 27 of its disciplinary code, a provision that allows judicial bodies to suspend disciplinary sanctions either wholly or in part.

The decision cleared the striker to feature against Belgium but has generated widespread criticism across European football.

UEFA described the ruling as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable,” accusing FIFA of having “crossed a red line.”

Reports indicate that the reversal marks the first time in more than 60 years of FIFA World Cup history that a red-card suspension has been overturned in this manner.