Charlie Sykes characterized Trump’s latest FIFA gaffe thusly: “Trump is the bride at every wedding, the star of every show and the turd in every punchbowl.” He simply has no idea of protocol because to his mind he is wanted and welcomed everywhere. Here’s the latest international embarrassment.
🚨WORLD WIDE HUMILIATION:
Trump hands the World Cup trophy to Spain, then refuses to get off stage, despite Gianni Infantino trying to direct him off of it.
This might be the most embarrassing thing I have ever seen. pic.twitter.com/P4vbFg78Xc
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) July 19, 2026
But, of course, he wanted to share in their glory on Sunday. It did not go well.
As president of the host country, Trump got to participate in the medal ceremony, but the protocol is both obvious and quite clear: Once the players begin their celebration, you have to get off the stage.
But Trump must be the bride at every wedding, the star of every show, and the turd in every punchbowl. You might recall what happened last July after the Club World Cup championship, when Trump insisted on staying on stage with the Chelsea players as they lifted the trophy.
Trump handed the trophy to Chelsea’s Reece James, but failed to vacate the stage and became part of the celebrations. Standard FIFA protocol states that the trophy should remain on a plinth and be carried onto the celebration podium by a member of the victorious side. Meaning Trump had broken the rules.
Footage of the celebrations last summer showed officials try to get Trump to leave, including calls reportedly coming from FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who was at one point alongside him.
Donald Trump stands with Chelsea players after they won the Club World Cup. Via Getty images.
Naturally, folks worried that Trump would once against fail to GTFO Sunday … and, indeed as Elliott Kirschner put it, America’s “bloviating egotist decided to linger, even as his buddy, Gianni Infantino, the corrupt and almost equally despicable head of FIFA, tried to coax him out of the way…A moment that perfectly captures what a complete stain he is on all that might otherwise be joyous, good, and celebratory.” (See Dean Soderstrom.)²
Trump appeared to shake off FIFA President Gianni Infantino as he lingered onstage after presenting Spain their second World Cup trophy ever. Trump stood next to the team as they lifted the trophy and cannons of gold confetti shot in the air. Infantino ushered Trump further from the team as they celebrated, putting the FIFA head and the president directly in the path of the flittering confetti.
BONUS: Delusional president has some demands: “Trump demands another World Cup in United States ‘immediately.'” (Which can’t happen.)³
This international embarrassment will continue another two years. Grimace and bear it.
tRump is NOT A SANE MAN! This is why we are where we are in Amerika! You could actually call him a PARASITE! WE MUST get rid of this SICK, DELUSIONAL man & his CULT. VOTE BLUE, your LIVES, really do, DEPEND on it! ETTD
I love soccer. He messed up the US team with the f*cking phone call. He screwed the trophy situation just be having his sorry a** on the podium. He believes he’s more important than ANYTHING so stuck around. He’s not the only one who is sick – HE MAKES ME SICK TOO.
I seem to remember something about Trump keeping the original trophy for the Gold Cup. And he won’t get out of the damn way. He really needs a babysitter to go with him for these things and literally drag Trump off stage, not giving a damn what it looks like. What he did to our soccer team, well, that was shtty. And then they lost and had to deal with that humility….