Trump has taken credit for overturning a red card for American star player Folarin Balogun.* The red card would have disqualified Balogun from playing in the Round of 16 World Cup match between the US and Belgium. If I knew anything about football (aka “soccer”), I would comment on the merits or lack thereof of the red card that was issued to (against?) Balogun. But I don’t.
I do, however, have two questions:
First, doesn’t Trump have anything better to do than meddling in an international sporting event? Of course, when you consider the President’s involvement in remodeling Washington, DC (for example, the golf course, The Arch, the East Wing, the reflecting pool), then the question answers itself.
Second, is it at all surprising that FIFA bent the knee to Trump’s demand? After all, it was FIFA that gave Trump that phony peace prize, so it’s in character for FIFA to cravenly agree with Trump’s request (demand?).
The pity is that this World Cup seemed to be presenting the US in a better light internationally. (Mexico and Canada didn’t need their reputations to be restored.) Now the Orange King goes ahead and ruins it. He ruins everything he touches, and he revels in the destruction.
So whatever the merits of the question whether Balogun should have gotten a red card, this is a sad development—a development that Trump no doubt hopes will distract the public and media from his recent disasters at home and abroad.
While we’re talking about distractions, how about those Epstein files?
* Note: Now, Trump is saying he did make a call, but did not demand anything. Fine. Any mobster knows that a demand need not be phrased as a demand. FIFA knew what Trump wanted, and Trump somehow found time in his busy schedule rebuilding DC to make the call.