Trump rips ‘a little bit suspect’ FIFA referee who gave Balogun a red card at World Cup

President Trump offered stark criticism from the White House on Monday of the World Cup referee who gave a red card to U.S. men’s soccer star Folarin Balogun, saying he was “a little bit suspect if you check his past.”

FIFA referee Raphael Claus, who gave Balogun the red card after a video review suggested by the video assistant referee, has previously been accused of match fixing.

“That wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other,” Trump said from the White House.

“These were two great athletes who got tangled, and this referee who is a little bit suspect if you check his past,” he continued. “He made a call that nobody could believe.”

Trump argued that Balogun “didn’t do anything wrong,” referring to him as one of the U.S. men’s team’s best players.

Balogun received the red card after video showed him stepping on the........

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