Trump cheers FIFA's decision to reinstate birthright citizen Folarin Balogun: 'Reversing injustice'

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump celebrated the Fédération Internationale de Football Association's (FIFA) decision to lift the ban on US soccer star Folarin Balogun.

Trump lauded the move by the governing body of soccer’s world cup, describing it as an act to reverse injustice.

Trump’s reaction is attracting huge attention as Balogun is a birthright citizen, and the president attempted to suspend birthright citizenship by signing an executive order on his first day in office during his second tenure.

Trump hails FIFA's surprise ruling

In a Sunday, July 5, afternoon post on Truth Social, the president praised the shocking ruling that clears Balogun to play Monday night against Belgium in the pivotal Round of 16 World Cup match.

“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” Trump wrote.

FIFA’s ruling is being termed shocking as the governing body has lifted the ban, citing a very rarely used bylaw to suspend the red card that was given to Balogun in his previous match. 

Had the red card not been suspended, Folarin Balogun, by rule, would have been ineligible for the match to be held on Monday.

Trump's praise for FIFA's decision comes despite his administration's long-standing opposition to birthright citizenship, which made Balogun eligible to represent the United States in the first place.

Folarin Balogun opted to represent the US

Balogun was born in New York City in 2001 after his British mother was unable to fly back to the UK because she was close to giving birth. She stayed in New York for two months before returning home.

Balogun holds US, British, and Nigerian citizenship. He later chose to represent the United States after all three countries tried to recruit him.

Trump targets birthright citizenship again

Trump has been a vocal opponent of birthright citizenship.

On Tuesday, June 30, after the Supreme Court ruled against his administration in Trump v Barbara — in which the majority of Justices found Trump’s 2025 executive order violated the 14th Amendment — the president raged against the decision and called on Congress to pass a new amendment.

“The Supreme Court upheld Birthright Citizenship, which is too bad for our Country, but we can easily make it up in Congress through Legislation, with the support of the President, that has now been determined during this process,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post after setback from the Supreme Court.

“No long and unwieldy Constitutional Amendment is necessary! Congress should start TODAY to work on ending expensive and unfair to our Country, Birthright Citizenship,” he added.