U.S. President Donald Trump again claimed that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was rigged at a FIFA event held ahead of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup final.
On the 17th (local time), President Trump, in a speech at a FIFA reception in Manhattan, New York, noted that he was president in 2018 when the United States won the right to co-host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada. He said that although he failed to win a second term after losing the 2020 election, he returned to office through the 2024 election and will greet the tournament as the president of a host nation, adding, "I was supposed to be president for eight straight years."
He then repeated his earlier claim that the 2020 election was rigged, emphasizing that as a result he is now welcoming the World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. President Trump also revived claims of election fraud in a national address the previous day, citing U.S. authorities' findings that China intervened in the 2020 election to ensure his defeat.
He also addressed controversy over alleged interference surrounding the suspension deferral for U.S. forward Folarin Balogun. Balogun was sent off for stamping on an opponent's ankle in the round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina and was banned from the round of 16. But FIFA deferred the suspension for one year, allowing him to face Belgium.
During this process, it became known that President Trump had called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the suspension, sparking allegations of favoritism. President Trump acknowledged contacting Infantino but argued he did not directly ask for Balogun to keep playing. He added that the United States ultimately lost to Belgium, suggesting the deferral did not change the outcome.
President Trump also joked that Infantino mentioned the possibility of China and the United States co-hosting a future World Cup, saying, "If they take short flights between games, the players will like it." He plans to watch the Spain-Argentina final on the 19th at the New York–New Jersey Stadium after spending the weekend at his New Jersey residence.