The White House has shifted the blame onto the referee regarding the controversy over U.S. national team star Folarin Balogun’s red card at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following allegations that President Trump intervened to overturn the decision.

Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House World Cup Task Force, immediately pointed to referee Raphael Claus, who issued the red card to Balogun, when the issue was raised during a briefing for foreign correspondents.

Giuliani claimed that he viewed the referee with deep suspicion, citing that Claus had issued questionable red cards in the past and stating, "I looked at it with very strong suspicion, given that he was clearly investigated for issuing abnormal red cards in the past."

When a Brazilian journalist immediately countered that referee Claus had not been investigated or indicted for match-fixing, but had merely provided a witness statement, Giuliani refused to back down, insisting that he "was involved in a match-fixing investigation."

He further argued that while the referee may not have been the target of the investigation involving "abnormal red cards," his actions were similar to those of the subjects under investigation.

Giuliani also pointed out that referees are not supposed to use slow-motion replays in VAR, yet he alleged that the referee used slow-motion footage to review the situation during the process of deciding to send off Balogun.

He refused to answer questions regarding what opinions he conveyed to President Trump during the process of requesting a review of Balogun’s red card from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, or what the exact decision-making process was.

Giuliani is the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who served as President Trump’s personal attorney.

Previously, several foreign media outlets reported that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Director Giuliani determined that government-level intervention was necessary on the day of Balogun’s expulsion. They reportedly spoke with President Trump multiple times, and after Trump instructed his aides to review ways to overturn the decision, he called President Infantino directly.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) pushed back, stating, "There is absolutely no basis to distrust or cast doubt on referee Claus's career," and added, "We reject any insinuation or insult that questions the integrity of referee Claus." The CBF issued a statement declaring him an "exemplary professional."

Balogun, considered the ace of the U.S. national team, received a red card from Brazilian referee Raphael Claus for stepping on an opponent's ankle during the Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which initially barred him from playing in the Round of 16. However, FIFA suddenly suspended the penalty for one year, allowing him to play in the Round of 16 match against Belgium.

Reported by Kim Minjeong | Video by Ahn Jun-hyeok | Graphics by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News