Many journalists, political correspondents and pundits have expressed outrage that President Donald Trump pressed FIFA on the plight of USA World Cup star Folarin Balogun ahead of Monday’s showdown with Belgium. Balogun received a red card during the U.S.win over Bosnia and Herzegovina last week for stepping on the ankle of a defender while trying to corral a ball.
The controversial card — which mandated Balogun miss the rest of the game and the next game as well — was issued after a VAR review, and amid the uproar, a source told Fox News that Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino and asked that FIFA review the play.On Sunday, the reversal was announced and the typical one-game suspension was nullified. Trump Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik and White House task force leader Andrew Giuliani put together a team of lawyers outside the White House to challenge the use of slow-motion replay to give Balogun the red card, according to OutKick founder and Fox News contributor Clay Travis. Infantino said in a statement Monday that he spoke with Trump and noted that "FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent" and "operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them." The media onslaught was at full tilt by then, however.BANNED FORMER FIFA PRESIDENT CRITICIZES ORGANIZATION'S DECISION ON FOLARIN BALOGUNPresident Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. (Getty Images)"Morning Joe" co-host Jon Lemire expressed concern that "karma" would come back to haunt the United States team."This certainly helps the U.S.
on the field, but the karma is bad.The karma is very bad… This U.S.
run so far has been magical.This decision may help us extend it, but suddenly the feeling is a little bit off," Lemire said. "I think the president has misunderstood the beautiful game, part of it is that you don’t always get the call you want.
There’s real disappointment.The...