Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever appeared to take a subtle swipe at U.S. President Donald Trump during a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday, referencing Trump's controversial intervention in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Red Card Remark Amid Ukraine Aid Discussion
While discussing NATO's forthcoming $80 billion military aid package for Ukraine, De Wever spoke of the message it would send to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Trump was seated at the same table.
“This is also a very strong ‘red card’ to Putin,” De Wever said, according to The Associated Press. He then added: “You can’t just take back a red card. You know that.”
Reference to Trump's FIFA Intervention
The remark appeared to reference Trump's admitted request that FIFA review U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension ahead of the Americans’ Round of 16 clash with Belgium. FIFA ultimately overturned the suspension, but Belgium still cruised to a 4-1 victory. Belgian players later trolled Trump through their goal celebrations, in the locker room after the game, and on social media.
Impact and Context
De Wever's comment underscored tensions between the two leaders over Trump's unusual involvement in a sporting event. The NATO summit focused on collective security, with the $80 billion aid package for Ukraine being a key agenda item. The red card analogy served as a pointed reminder of Trump's earlier interference, which had sparked criticism from Belgian officials and fans.
