Trump says World Cup referee's red card call was 'horrible' but insists he left outcome to FIFA

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday took credit for getting FIFA to review a red card issued against the United States’ star forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup but said he did not demand an outcome.

“All I did was ask for a review,” Trump said when asked about it during an unrelated Oval Office event. “I didn’t say, ‘You have to do this.’”

Trump confirmed that he called FIFA President Gianni Infantino and asked for a second look at the punishment against Balogun in the United States’ 2-0 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina last week in Santa Clara, California, near San Francisco. But he said FIFA made the final call to lift Balogun’s mandatory one-game ban for a foul tackle, allowing him to play in Monday’s round of 16 match with Belgium in Seattle.

FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-game ban was celebrated by many in the United States but brought condemnation in the international sports world, where some called it an improper intrusion.

In remarks on Monday, Trump called the referee's decision a “horrible” call. He added that it would have been a stain on the tournament if Balogun, the U.S.' leading scorer at this year's World Cup with three goals, was held out against Belgium and the U.S. lost. He praised FIFA for making what he described as a brilliant decision in suspending the punishment.

“I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said. “I thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled.”

The Republican president, who said he understands sports “really well,” acknowledged that he did not initially know what a red card is or the consequences it brings. When he learned it would lead to a one-game suspension for Balogun, he said, he decided to step in. He also took issue with the use of video review to issue the red card, arguing that slowed-down reviews can make plays look aggressive.

Among those joining Trump for the Oval Office event was Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who thanked Trump for stepping in.

“On behalf of all Americans, thank you for getting rid of that ridiculous red card,” Cruz said. “It was spectacular. There was a reason the FIFA trophy sat here for as long as it did.”

Cruz appeared to be referring to a White House event last year at which Infantino visited and brought the World Cup trophy.

FILE - President Donald Trump holds up a red card during a meeting with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

President Donald Trump speaks about FIFA after ringing the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq in the Oval Office at the White House, Monday, July 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump smiles after ringing the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq in the Oval Office at the White House, Monday, July 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump smiles after ringing the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq in the Oval Office at the White House, Monday, July 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

President Donald Trump speaks about FIFA after ringing the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq in the Oval Office at the White House, Monday, July 6, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

LES ANGLES, France (AP) — Tadej Pogacar made the most of the first mountain stage of the Tour de France to post his 22nd career stage win at cycling's biggest race and seize the race leader's yellow jersey on Monday.

Pogacar, the overwhelming favorite, sprinted away from his rivals in the final climb to Les Angles in the French Pyrenees, about 200 meters from the finish line, and no one could match his speed.

The UAE Emirates-XRG leader held his arms out in triumph and clenched his fists at the summit as he crossed with a two-second lead over Jonas Vingegaard, Richard Carapaz and Paul Seixas.

Pogacar took 10 bonus seconds for his win, and Vingegaard was awarded a six-second bonus for his second place. Overall, Pogacar and Vingegaard are level on time but Pogacar’s stage win coupled with his second place in Sunday's Stage 2 earned him the yellow jersey.

The two-time world champion has crushed his rivals this season and chases a record-equaling fifth Tour victory. The only four riders to have won five Tours are Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Indurain and Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault.

Monday's win marked his 14th victory this season, a run that includes general classifications wins at the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de Romandie, as well as one-day triumphs at Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the Tour of Flanders, Milan San Remo and Strade Bianche.

Vingegaard, of Visma-Lease a Bike team, is looking to win the Tour for the third time after triumphing in 2022 and ’23. The Danish rider had taken the yellow jersey on Saturday after leading his Visma-Lease a Bike team to victory in the opening-day time trial around Barcelona.

The three-week race hit the mountains early on Monday’s 196-kilometer (121.5-mile) third stage, starting from Granollers in Spain and concluding with a short but sharp uphill dart to Les Angles in the French Pyrenees, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) from a large wildfire that has burned large swathes of land.

As a result, organizers decided that once the peloton reached France for the last 40 kilometers, the publicity caravan — a 10-kilometer-long procession of sponsor vehicles that precedes the race — would not operate. Only riders and vehicles essential to the race were allowed on the route, and spectators had been asked not to gather on the roadside or at the finish area.

Once in France, the number of fans along the roads — usually present in their thousands — decreased. But there were there actually quite a lot of spectators when the riders passed through villages further down the road.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

The pack rides during the second stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 168.5 kilometers (104.3 miles) with start in Tarragona and finish in Barcelona, Spain, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)