Former U.S. President Donald Trump's presence at the FIFA World Cup final became a focal point when he drew boos from the crowd and was the subject of a hot mic comment from an SBS host. Spain had just defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time, and as the team gathered for the trophy lift at MetLife Stadium, Trump stood near the players.
FIFA chief Gianni Infantino appeared to attempt to usher Trump away from the Spanish squad, but Trump remained on stage, clapping and smiling as confetti fell. The crowd reaction was audible, with loud boos directed at both Trump and Infantino as they took the stage. An SBS host, Claudio Fabiano, was later overheard on a hot mic suggesting that Trump could simply be edited out of broadcast images.
Earlier in the match, Trump had been seen in a private suite with his wife Melania, alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. He also greeted Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Spain's Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI. Trump's son, Eric Trump, his wife Lara, and their children, as well as Barron Trump, were also present in the suite.
Trump presented silver medals to Argentina's players, including Lionel Messi, after their defeat. Notably, Argentinian defender Cristian Romero appeared to ignore Trump while accepting his medal from Infantino. Trump then presented several awards to Spain's stars, including the Young Player of the Tournament, the Golden Glove, and the Golden Ball.
The appearance at the World Cup final came weeks after Trump had publicly criticized Spain during a UN summit for not contributing sufficiently to NATO, stating, "Spain is a terrible partner in," and urging to "Cut off all trade with Spain." Following the World Cup final, Trump commented on his interaction with Spain, saying, "Spain, they came back all the way today. Spain was very generous today." He added that Spain had honored a request for payments, "and if they didn't, we wouldn't have even talked to them."
The match itself saw Spain secure a 1-0 victory over Argentina with a goal in the 106th minute. The game was also marked by confrontations between players after the final whistle, with Argentinian midfielder Leandro Paredes being sent off for an altercation with Spanish players. Other Argentinian players also engaged in scuffles on the field.
The halftime show featured performances by Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira with Burna Boy, and BTS, while the closing ceremony included appearances by Post Malone, Tom Cruise, Nicole Scherzinger, and others.