One of Donald Trump’s top government officials has poked fun at the outrage over Folarin Balogun’s overturned World Cup ban, after it was revealed that he held secret talks with FIFA to reverse the decision.
Howard Lutnick, who is Trump’s secretary of commerce, was involved in behind-the-scenes conversations with soccer’s governing body to annul the USA striker’s red-card suspension, according to Politico.
It comes just days after Lutnick was spotted alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Santa Clara, where they watched Mauricio Pochettino’s men earn a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina despite Balogun’s second-half sending off.
On an unprecedented day at the World Cup, FIFA announced 24 hours before USA’s last-16 clash with Belgium that the red card has been rescinded, something that has not happened in the competition since 1962.
The decision has sparked fury in the sport, with the White House’s apparent influence leaving fans and the Belgian FA seething.
And amid the uproar over FIFA’s Balogun U-turn, Lutnick has mocked angry World Cup fans by sharing a photo on social media of his ‘Trump Card’.
Donald Trump ally Howard Lutnick has poked fun at the outrage over Folarin Balogun’s overturned World Cup ban
Balogun is available for USA’s next match after FIFA rescinded his one-match suspension
The AI-generated image shows what appears to be the President himself holding up a gold USA bank card with ‘The Trump Card’ written on it, which is made out to be worth ‘5m’.
Lutnick has developed ‘close ties’ with FIFA execs after attending a dinner in early June with Infantino, senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro and roughly half a dozen attendees, according to Politico’s report.
He is also believed to have hosted Infantino in his Commerce Department office, before they were pictured sitting together at USA’s game against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday.
White House sources have confirmed to the Daily Mail that Trump took the extraordinary step of reaching out to the FIFA President ahead of the decision to suspend Balogun’s red card.
Trump, who has become close friends with Infantino since returning to office, wrote on Truth Social: ‘Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP.’
Further reports in the US claimed Trump, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and White House task force head Andrew Giuliani put together a crack legal team to challenge the dismissal.
The decision has also sparked anger within the Belgium team and it’s understood they are considering taking legal action and referring the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Lutnick was pictured with FIFA President Gianna Infantino at USA’s win in the Round of 32
Trump heaped praise on FIFA ‘for doing what was right’ after the red card was overturned
He has formed a close friendship with Infantino ever since he returned to office in 2024
The Belgian FA said it was ‘astonished’ at the decision and would be investigating all options to ‘protect the principles of fair play.’ Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia said: ‘I didn’t know that at the World Cup July 5th is now April 1st – April Fool’s Day. We’re defending football and its ethics.’
Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois admitted the decision came as a ‘surprise’. He added: ‘Had it been done earlier, we’d maybe be able to be more prepared. But as players, nothing changes, we focus to win.’
Meanwhile, head coach Rudi Garcia offered a brutal assessment on the matter during a press conference later in the day.
He said: ‘I didn’t know that at the World Cup the 5th July is now April 1st and is now April Fool’s Day…
‘We are defending football – its ethics and history. It’s the first time in WC history that such a decision has been taken…’
When asked about allegations that Trump influenced FIFA’s decision, Garcia added: ‘Don’t waste your time talking about that… if you have any football questions we will answer that but for the rest please go to the [FA].’
Belgium boss Rudi Garcia was left furious with the decision ahead of their match against USA
The Belgian FA also insisted the move contradicted FIFA’s competition rules. The automatic nature of such a suspension was reaffirmed in a FIFA World Cup Circular sent to participating member associations in May.
FIFA declined to comment. Last year FIFA created a FIFA Peace Prize and immediately handed it to Trump, following the President’s failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
A FIFA statement earlier on Sunday read: ‘In line with article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.
‘If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.’
