Good Monday evening. In this edition: FIFA lifts Balogun suspension after Trump intervenes, roiling soccer world.
Plus, Platner, NATO and Trump Accounts.
World Cup
President Trump confirmed he asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review U.S. soccer star Folarin Balogun's controversial red card before the organization lifted his one-game suspension, igniting an uproar across the international soccer community.
"I asked for a review because I didn't think it was a foul," he told reporters in the Oval Office. "I thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled. That was not a guy punching somebody in the face or anything, that would be different."
Mr. Balogun — arguably the U.S.'s best player this World Cup — was issued a red card after a video review showed him stepping on the ankle of a Bosnia and Herzegovina player in last week's round of 32 match. Under FIFA rules, a straight red card not only ejects a player from the current match but also carries an automatic one-game suspension.
"I didn't know what the hell a red card was, but when I found out, I said, 'You got to be kidding,'" President Trump told reporters. "You know, it's one thing to penalize somebody for the game, but how do you penalize them for a game that hasn't been played yet?"
Hours after the match, President Trump called Mr. Infantino to complain about the red card and the fact that the U.S. would have to face Belgium on Monday night without one of its top players, which he said was unfair.
"We got to have our best players, and they have to have their best — and if we win or we lose, that's fair," he told reporters. "I think the referee's call was horrible."
FIFA lifted the suspension on Sunday in a virtually unprecedented decision that roiled the soccer world and drew sharp criticism from Belgium's soccer federation, which unsuccessfully sought to appeal the decision.
"As a former football referee, I have always been committed to upholding the rules and ensuring decisions are fair," Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot told Politico in a statement. "This decision clearly raises many questions. If a phone call is really the reason for this incomprehensible decision, it would be a blatant violation of the most basic rules of football and sport."
UEFA, European soccer's governing body, also criticized the decision, saying it "crossed a red line."
"Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition," the organization 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."
President Trump, who shares a close relationship with Mr. Infantino, said he merely placed the phone call to express his disappointment with the situation, not to seek a specific outcome.
"I think it would have had a big stain," the president said. "I relayed it, just that feeling, I didn't tell him what to do. I can't tell him what to do. And I don't believe he made the decision. I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision."
The U.S. faces Belgium in Seattle at 8pm ET as the team seeks its first World Cup quarterfinal appearance since 2002.
Graham Platner, the Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Maine, said he's taking "time to reflect" on the future of his campaign after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her in 2021. A 41-year-old Maine woman told Politico that a "deeply intoxicated" Mr. Platner forced her to have sex despite her repeated objections. The populist oysterman, who has weathered a series of scandals over the past year, denied the allegation but acknowledged it would damage his campaign. "Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful of the political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins," he said in a video message posted to social media. Mr. Platner secured the Democratic nomination last month, but state law includes a provision for Democrats to replace him ahead of the general election.
The NATO summitbegins Tuesday in Ankara, Turkey, where alliance leaders are expected to discuss increased European defense spending and Russia's war against Ukraine. The annual meeting comes as President Trump has intensified his criticism of the alliance, accusing its members of underspending on defense and failing to support the U.S. in its war against Iran. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said alliance members are expected to demonstrate how they will increase defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035. "After years of underinvestment, we are producing real capabilities," he said at a pre-summit press conference. "European allies and Canada are now on a trajectory to equalize their defense spending with the United States."
President Trumprang the opening bell for the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq from the Oval Office to mark the launch of his administration's new savings accounts for children. Known as "Trump Accounts," the tax-advantaged accounts are available to Americans age 18 or younger and include a one-time $1,000 Treasury Department deposit for eligible children born from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2028. Billionaires Michael and Susan Dell, who joined the president in the Oval Office, pledged more than $6 billion to the program. Other wealthy individuals and companies have also announced donations or said they will provide matching contributions for their employees' children. Children are not enrolled automatically. Parents must sign them up through their tax forms or when registering their newborn's Social Security number at the hospital.
For your radar…
President Trump participates Tuesday in a series of meetings on the first day of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. Watch LIVE on C-SPAN starting at 7:15am ET.
