Fact Check: Did Trump say Belgium is developing nuclear bomb after US’ defeat in the World Cup?

WASHINGTON, DC: After the United States team was eliminated from the FIFA World Cup following its loss to Belgium, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms claiming that President Donald Trump had said that Belgium was developing a nuclear bomb, sparking mockery and criticism. Let us analyze the viral claim and fact-check its authenticity.

Claim: Donald Trump said Belgium is developing a nuclear bomb

The rumor surfaced in the form of a screenshot, claiming to show a post by the president on his official Truth Social account. The alleged post states, “Belgium is 2 weeks away from developing a nuclear bomb!”

The purported post is interpreted as Trump’s reaction to the US men's soccer team's 4-1 loss to Belgium.

The rhetoric means portraying a country as an imminent existential nuclear threat to justify aggressive American pressure, sanctions, or military action.

While many appeared to believe the claim to be real, a few others questioned its authenticity, calling for a fact check.

Fact Check: False, Donald Trump made no such post

The claim, however, is false, as Trump made no such post following the elimination of the US from the World Cup.

A search on Trump’s official Truth Social handle for the text yielded no results. A search on Trump’s commentary account on X that automatically archives all his Truth Social posts also did not yield any results.

A fact-check by Grok states, “No, Trump didn't actually say that. It's a viral meme created as satire after the US lost to Belgium in the World Cup. The fake tweet parodies his past comments on nuclear threats (usually about Iran), but this one's 100% fabricated for laughs. Classic internet timing.”

Belgium defeated United States in the World Cup

The screenshot 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."