Trump Repeats Election Fraud Claims at FIFA Event: "I Shouldn't Be Here"

U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his claims of election fraud during a FIFA event held ahead of the 2026 North American World Cup final.

In his speech at the FIFA reception in Manhattan, New York, on July 18, President Trump noted that he was the sitting president when the U.S. won the bid to co-host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada in 2018, stating, "I shouldn't be here right now."

He implied that he should have served eight consecutive years as president, but was interrupted by his loss in the 2020 election, which he continues to claim was rigged.

"I was supposed to be president for eight years, but they rigged the election," he said, repeating his assertion that his 2020 defeat was due to election fraud.

He continued, "So what did I get? I got the World Cup. I also got the Olympics (to be held in 2028)."

In a televised address to the nation the previous night, July 17, President Trump also announced the results of a U.S. government investigation claiming that China interfered in the 2020 election to ensure his defeat, once again asserting that the election was fraudulent.

During the event, President Trump also addressed the controversy surrounding his intervention to "save" U.S. national team forward Folarin Balogun, remarking that the "most unforgettable moment" of the World Cup was when the player was given a red card.

"That's why I had no choice but to call Gianni," he said.

He was referring to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, with whom he has a close relationship, and who was standing beside him during the speech.

Balogun received a red card for stepping on an opponent's ankle during the Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which would have barred him from the Round of 16. However, FIFA suspended the penalty for one year, allowing him to play in the Round of 16 match against Belgium.

The incident sparked controversy after it was reported that President Trump had called President Infantino to request a review of the decision.

President Trump emphasized that during his call with President Infantino, he told him, "Gianni, I want to make a suggestion," but insisted he did not explicitly demand that the player be allowed to continue playing.

"In the end, it turned out much better that way," he added. "They (the opposing team) won the game, and our team (lost)."

President Trump also joked that President Infantino had suggested, "Maybe China and the U.S. could co-host next time. Then there would be a very short flight between games. The players would love that."

President Trump is scheduled to spend this weekend at his estate in New Jersey and will attend the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at the New York/New Jersey stadium on July 19.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.