Donald Trump has received support for his move to have a red card against Falorin Balogun suspended from within an American conservative vacuum, while the rest of the world rages16:43, 06 Jul 2026Donald Trump has been thanked by a senior Republican Party politician for "getting rid of that ridiculous red card" as the FIFA firestorm surrounding Folarin Balogun's reinstatement to USMNT intensifies.‌The US President held a press event in the Oval Office today to celebrate the release of Trump Accounts, a government-backed investment programme for children. The event saw Trump take a victory lap from the White House while surrounded by Republican grandees, among them Ted Cruz; his former rival-turned-superfan, who couldn't resist piling praise on his party leader following reports that he had intervened to have a red card issued against Balogun rescinded.‌Cruz told Trump that the globally condemned move was "spectacular". The US President admitted speaking with FIFA boss Gianni Infantino before the decision was made, and that he "didn't know what the hell a red card is".‌Speaking in the Oval Office, Cruz said: "On behalf of all Americans, thank you for getting rid of that ridiculous red card... it was spectacular." He added: "There was a reason the Fifa trophy sat here for as long as it did." During the same event, Trump claimed "nobody cares" about the move.He said: "The status is, we have the press. They don’t want to know anything soccer/football. Fortunately, they won’t be asking any questions on that. Nobody cares about that, right?"‌Trump has been in classic form following the public firestorm over the red card controversy, and claimed during his speech that he understands sports "really well" after being a "good athlete". He said: "I'm a person that loves sports and was a good athlete and I understand sports really well, really well.""And that wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other. And this referee, who is a little bit suspect…. I don’t like to create controversy, but very suspect.‌"He made a call that nobody could believe. You know, even people on the other side, they said, ‘oh, we got lucky’. Wow. That’s very interesting." But the President went on to immediately contradict himself, admitting he "didn't know what the hell a red card was" while speaking with reporters.He said: "I think the referee's call was horrible and nobody talks about that. They talk about the red card like it's fine, nobody talks [about] the referee's decision to red card."‌"I didn't know what the hell a red card was, when I found out, I said 'you got to be kidding'." Trump's decision to call Infantino has only found support within the American conservative ranks, few of whom have any familiarity with football, or "soccer".The footballing world has reacted with abject fury, with the call by FIFA having earned the organisation swift condemnation from top players and other major bodies. Among them was former top England player Wayne Rooney, who branded the decision a "disgrace" and said Infantino "should be ashamed".He said while speaking with BBC Sport: "For this to be suspended, they either take the red card away which is probably the right decision and then he can play. But to suspend it for a year? I think it's an absolute disgrace. Infantino should be ashamed of this."Article continues belowThe Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the representative body of European football, said the decision was "incomprehensible and unjustifiable" in its own statement released today. The body said: "When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined."Equally, such a decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition. We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."