US President Donald Trump is facing a torrent of ridicule and criticism after his controversial intervention in the FIFA World Cup failed to prevent a decisive 4-1 defeat for the United States men's national team against Belgium. The highly anticipated last-16 match in Seattle saw the US crash out of the tournament, despite Trump's direct lobbying of FIFA President Gianni Infantino to overturn a one-match ban for star striker Folarin Balogun.
The controversy began when Balogun received a red card in the US team's previous match against Bosnia-Herzegovina. Following Trump's appeal, FIFA announced on Sunday that the suspension would be lifted, igniting a global outcry. Speaking at the White House before the game, Trump acknowledged his intervention, playfully warning that if Belgium won, he might claim the result was "rigged," echoing his past claims about the 2020 US election.
However, the European side delivered a dominant performance, leaving the US looking curiously lacklustre. The outcome quickly led to a wave of online mockery targeting the President. California Democratic Senator Alex Padilla coined the phrase "the Trump effect," suggesting the President possesses a "reverse Midas touch" where everything he touches turns sour. Jokes about Trump imposing astronomical tariffs, with figures of 6,000 percent and even 12,000 percent on Belgian exports, circulated widely on social media platforms like X, formerly Twitter.
Adding to the President's woes, Belgian players appeared to mock his signature dance moves during their post-match celebrations. The official Belgian Instagram account also posted a picture of forward Romelu Lukaku celebrating with the caption: "Overturn this," a clear jab at Trump's pre-game actions. Even before the match, anti-Trump commentators had warned that the scandal would delegitimise any success the team might achieve, creating a "lose-lose situation" for the host nation.
The incident has drawn parallels to other recent events where Trump's presence or intervention has been followed by negative outcomes. Lawyer Adam Cohen highlighted the New York Knicks' recent loss in the NBA Finals game, which Trump attended, suggesting a pattern of bad luck. As of today, 13 July 2026, President Trump, who is en route to a NATO summit in Turkey, has yet to publicly comment on the match's outcome or the backlash, despite his active presence on Truth Social.