Fact Check: Did Trump impose 2000% tariff on Belgian chocolate after US World Cup defeat?
WASHINGTON, DC: Following the defeat of the United States team in the FIFA World Cup against Belgium, a rumor is circulating on social media platforms claiming that President Donald Trump had imposed a 2000% tariff on Belgian chocolate in response to the defeat. Let us analyze the viral claim and fact-check it.
Claim: Donald Trump imposed a tariff on Belgian chocolate
Following Belgium's victory over the US men's national team in the FIFA World Cup on July 6, social media posts began claiming that Trump placed a 2000% tariff on Belgian chocolate.
For example, a Facebook post claimed that "Donald Trump places 2000% tariff on Belgian chocolates."
The rumor also spread on X and Instagram, garnering hundreds of thousands of views, with many appearing to interpret it as fact, while a few others questioned its authenticity and called for a fact check.
Fact Check: The page that posted the claim is a satire account
However, the claim is false as there are no relevant reports about Trump imposing tariffs on the product in response to the US defeat in the World Cup, which, if true, would have been widely covered.
Although a search on Google for the keyword ‘Trump Belgian chocolate tariffs’ did point to a 2025 executive order that placed a general tariff on imports from European Union countries, including Belgium, it yielded no credible recent reports by prominent news media outlets.
Additionally, the claim’s source has been traced to a Facebook account called ‘NewsThump’that describes its content as satirical.
The account's bio reads, “NewsThump - Satire (not news, obviously, but we have to put this here because of the idiots).”
United States' loss to Belgium sparks political buzz
The claim surfaced after Belgium’s 4-1 win against the United States in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 on Monday night, not only ending the co-hosts' hopes on the field, but also sparking a heated debate on social media.
Shortly after their victory at Seattle Stadium, the official Belgian Red Devils social media accounts seemed to target FIFA and the US political system.
The team posted a photo of veteran striker Romelu Lukaku quieting the American crowd after scoring Belgium’s final goal in stoppage time. The image was paired with a sharp two-word caption, "Overturn this."
