‘How Patriotic’: Donald Trump sparks outrage with ‘highly unusual’ World Cup move

United States President Donald Trump made history earlier this week as the first sitting president ever to attend the NBA Finals, and he is set to host a UFC event on the White House lawn on Sunday. However, he will not be attending the United States Men’s National Team’s World Cup opener on Friday night.

In what has been called a “highly unusual” move, Trump has decided to skip Friday night’s match even though he is the leader of one of the host nations and has helped promote the event in the months leading up.

Trump Will Not Attend World Cup

Andrew Giuliani, the World Cup task force’s CEO, confirmed this week that Trump will not attend the USMNT’s opening match of the World Cup against Paraguay on Friday, but he did not rule out the possibility that Trump could attend a different match throughout the tournament.

Giuliani said to “expect the unexpected” regarding Trump’s appearances.

“He’s not going to end up attending the opening game,” Giuliani told UK radio station TalkSport. “As we’ve said, his scheduling is tight. But I know he’s going to be engaged throughout this World Cup.

“But the one thing, having known President Trump for now 30 years, what I can tell you is: expect the unexpected. Always expect a cliffhanger with him. Throughout the course of this tournament, it wouldn’t surprise me if we see him engage more and more with the World Cup.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to attend the game in Trump’s place.

Trump’s Decision Faces Criticism

Given Trump’s history of attending sporting events, including the NBA Finals on Monday and a UFC event that will be hosted at the White House this weekend, Trump faced criticism for not making the time to attend the game, especially as the leader of one of the host nations.

Ben Burrows and Henry Bushnell of The Athletic called this decision to skip the opening match “highly unusual,” pointing out that most leaders attend the opening match in their own nation.

“Trump’s decision not to attend the first game is highly unusual for a head of state of a tournament co-host. The Emir of Qatar attended in 2022, President Vladimir Putin of Russia attended in 2018 and President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil attended in 2014,” The Athletic wrote.

Trump received some heavy criticism from fans, as well.

“So he can attend some bull[expletive] UFC fight yet can’t attend his own country’s opening match. How patriotic,” one fan wrote in a post on X.

“Trump doesn’t care,” someone else wrote.

“Further proof of the fact that Trump cares little or nothing about the World Cup and that the special relationship with Infantino was more than anything else wishful thinking on the latter’s part, but brought no advantage to FIFA,” another person wrote.

“So why isn’t Mr. FIFA Peace Prize attending the opening of the World Cup in America?” someone else questioned.

Others suggested that Trump chose not to attend the match after he was loudly booed during Monday’s appearance at the NBA Finals. Given that Friday’s World Cup match will be held in Los Angeles – a notoriously left-leaning city – some suggested that Trump might be worried the booing would happen again.

“He’s scared of getting booed like he was at MSG,” one person wrote on X.

“Doesn’t want to be booed again,” someone else suggested.

“60,000 booing would be amazing over social media,” another person wrote.

While he won’t be attending, Trump did call the team to express his support as they prepare for the World Cup.

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