Former US President Donald Trump has released a truncated version of the World Cup final trophy presentation, notably omitting a moment when he appeared to be guided off the stage by FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The edited 24-second clip, shared on his Truth Social platform, shows Trump participating in the trophy handover and shaking hands with some Spanish players, but cuts before the widely reported incident where he lingered on stage during Spain's celebrations.
The original scene, which drew considerable online commentary, showed Trump at the edge of the stage after Spain's victory against Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday. Spain's captain, Rodri, reportedly gestured for Trump to move, before Infantino stepped in to usher him away as golden confetti rained down and the team began their jubilant celebrations. Official images from the Spanish national team and FIFA's X account notably did not feature Trump in their trophy lift photographs, and he was reportedly booed during the final match itself.
This latest incident adds to a series of controversial appearances by Trump during the tournament. Earlier, he admitted to calling Infantino to "wage a complaint" regarding a red card issued to US striker Folarin Balogun during the United States' match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following Trump's intervention, Balogun's one-match ban was suspended for a year, a move FIFA described as a "balanced measure" overseen by independent bodies.
The former president was also the recipient of the inaugural 'FIFA Peace Prize' late last year, shortly after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan activist María Corina Machado. His presence at the World Cup final comes against a backdrop of increasingly strained relations between the United States and Spain. In recent weeks, Trump has publicly criticised Spain, branding it a "wasted cause" and a "terrible partner in NATO," even suggesting the US should cut off all trade with the European nation.
Trump has consistently voiced concerns over Spain's military expenditure, particularly after the country declined last year to adopt a new target of dedicating 5% of its GDP to defence spending by 2035. In response, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has accused Trump of "playing Russian roulette with the destiny of millions" and criticised the US-Israel military action launched in Iran in February. These geopolitical tensions underscore the broader context of Trump's high-profile, and often contentious, involvement in international sporting events.