Rosie O'Donnell expressed strong disapproval after President Donald Trump contacted FIFA to review a red card issued to U.S. soccer player Folarin Balogun. The red card would have suspended Balogun for the U.S. Men's National Team's (USMNT) knockout match against Belgium.
O'Donnell stated in an interview with Variety that she was "horrified" by Trump's actions, questioning his authority to influence the game's rules. "Since when does he get to make and change the rules, the goalposts, whatever metaphor you want to use, and everyone just sits by and shrugs their shoulders? There’s so much (corruption) that we don’t even notice it," she said. She also expressed disappointment that the USMNT's coach and Balogun did not refuse to play after FIFA postponed the ban.
Trump, addressing the matter, stated that he only requested a review because he did not believe the play constituted a foul. "All I did was, I asked for a review, because I didn’t think it was a foul," Trump said. He explained that he saw "two great athletes who crashed into each other and got entangled" and that it was "not a guy punching somebody in the face or anything that would be different."
He argued that suspending a top player would have put a "big stain" on the championship and that seeing the game with both teams' best players would ensure a fair outcome, regardless of the result. Trump also criticized the referee's initial call, calling it "horrible."
Despite the review, the USMNT ultimately lost 4-1 to Belgium in the Round of 16, concluding their World Cup tournament. The incident and the differing reactions highlight ongoing political divisions, with some commentators suggesting a tendency to blame Trump for national setbacks.