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Is the “Trump Curse” real? Well, soccer icon Megan Rapinoe thinks so. In a recent candid interview, she said that she believes President Donald Trump’s notorious red card reversal contributed to the United States Men’s soccer team losing its underdog edge at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
After losing 4-1 to Belgium in the Round of 16, the USMNT was eliminated from the 2026 Men’s World Cup. Before the Knockout Round, Folarin Balogun’s status was much discussed. He was originally supposed to miss the game since he was sent off during the Round of 32 victory against Bosnia. However, he was allowed to play following a FIFA review and a call from President Trump.
There was very little, if any, change. Belgium dominated the USMNT from beginning to end, and they were unable to advance to the quarterfinals. The President later made it clear that he didn’t coerce FIFA into taking any action. All he wanted was a review.
However, some argue that the spectacle harmed the USMNT. While Balogun was eventually allowed to play, FIFA’s decision received so much criticism. So much attention was focused on the men’s squad as a result of the president’s involvement that the team fell flat. Among those “others” is Rapinoe, who feels President Trump’s intrusion actually hurt the men’s team’s performance.
Appearing on The Daily Show, Rapinoe said, “It didn’t give them the boost, maybe, that they were thinking it would or that Trump was hoping that it would. I don’t know. It seemed like it kind of, like, threw them off their game.”
Rapinoe claims that President Trump’s political meddling in the tournament also destroyed the excitement for Team USA, making it hard to support them. She said, “They had, like, such a good vibe. I feel like they had, like, the underdog kind of vibe going. And then you-know-who got involved, and everyone was like, nope. No. We don’t like it.”
Rapinoe said that the U.S. team’s opponents were motivated by the president’s interference, which resulted in their loss against Belgium. “Obviously, Belgium was like, ‘No, we absolutely can’t lose to this team now,'” said the soccer star who was part of the U.S. national teams that won the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015 and 2019.
The American side’s loss is the latest example of the “Trump sports curse.” It is a pattern in which the president’s support and interference with certain sports teams result in misfortune. Other instances include the World Cup finals, where Argentina lost to Spain after he put his money on the former to win.
The Curse Scoreboard: Every Team Trump Touched
A hex. A jinx. A bad omen. The kiss of doom. Whatever we call it, after the U.S.’s devastating loss to Belgium in the 2026 World Cup, which was eclipsed by the tournament’s largest scandal yet, the phrase “Trump curse” started to trend online.
One social media user even wrote, “At this point, a Trump endorsement is starting to look less like support and more like a curse.” Another user chimed in, “Trump cheating on Team USA’s behalf ends up meaningless because his curse always takes over.” Another user noted, “Trump stuck his nose in where it didn’t belong… if Trump had not interfered. ETTD: Everything Trump touches dies.”
Balogun himself confessed that the red card reversal caused “a lot of outside noise” that distracted his team’s attention.
In 2025, President Trump claimed the Kansas City Chiefs would win Super Bowl LIX, which the Philadelphia Eagles ultimately went on to win. The curse’s first act. He then attended the College Football Playoff National Championship in January 2026, when the Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Miami Hurricanes 27-21.
President Trump watched Game 3 of the NBA Finals from the owner’s box at Madison Square Garden, where the New York Knicks lost 115-111, snapping a 13-game win streak. The Knicks won the following two games without the president’s presence, including a remarkable 29-point comeback to win the title.
ESPN‘s Stephen A. Smith even joked that if the Knicks lost Game 3, he would hold President Trump personally responsible. California Governor Gavin Newsom also reposted a viral message about how the Knicks’ 13-game winning run ended the moment the president showed up. Before the World Cup final, the President said that it was “hard to bet against Messi.” Argentina lost to Spain 1-0.
Historical footnote: Trump’s USFL New Jersey Generals reign came to an end in 1986, when the league dissolved after he lobbied for a fall schedule.
