The final whistle had barely blown before the drama shifted from the pitch to the podium. Spain had just beaten Argentina to claim the 2026 World Cup, and Donald Trump was right there for the medal ceremony, handing out awards to players from both squads. So far, fairly standard for a sitting US president hosting a global tournament.
But then things took an odd turn. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino handed Trump the honor of carrying the trophy from its stand to the stage something that isn't normally part of the script and Trump didn't exactly rush off afterward either. He lingered on stage right as Spain's captain, Rodri, was getting ready to hoist the trophy for the first time in front of his teammates, an unmistakably charged moment for any team that had just won it all.
"Nobody Wanted Him There"
That moment didn't sit well with Arizona Congresswoman Yaasmin Ansari, who's built a reputation as one of Trump's sharper critics since entering Congress last year. Speaking to Meidas Touch, she said the World Cup is normally a celebration of shared humanity something that pulls people together rather than pushes them apart and that Trump's behavior on stage undercut exactly that.
It wasn't just symbolic, either. Spain's team quietly removed Trump and Infantino from the official photos of their trophy lift once they hit social media, a small but pointed gesture marking the country's second World Cup win and first since 2010.
Ansari Says the Damage Ran Deeper Than One Photo Op
According to Ansari, the friction went well beyond an awkward stage moment. She pointed to how the tournament played out logistically for some visiting nations, claiming players and officials from certain countries faced serious hurdles just getting into the US.
Iran's team, for instance, had to shift their entire training camp out of Tempe, Arizona, relocating instead to Tijuana and later Mexico City. Rather than staying in the country throughout the tournament, players reportedly crossed the border only on match days, leaving again right after each game ended.
There was also the case of Omar Artan, a referee from Somalia who'd been selected by FIFA to officiate matches. He was turned away at a Florida airport and sent back home without ever getting a clear reason why.
Not Ansari's First Time Speaking Out
This isn't new territory for Ansari. Earlier this year, in comments to The Guardian, she went even further, describing Trump in blunt terms questioning his mental stability and calling him someone who prioritizes himself and his family above everything else. She argued that pattern has played out across his career and presidency alike, pointing specifically to healthcare cuts and other policy decisions she says have hurt ordinary Americans while benefiting Trump's own financial interests.
Whether or not you agree with her assessment, the optics from the World Cup final certainly gave critics plenty of ammunition and Spain's decision to edit Trump out of their own victory photos speaks volumes on its own.
Amen to that. AND he pilfered a gold medal. What a jerk!!!
ReplyDelete