Trump takes part in Club World Cup ceremony, stays front and center for Chelsea's trophy lift
Trump, who was booed by a significant number of fans here at MetLife Stadium as he walked onstage for the postgame ceremony, initially carried the trophy to James alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
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Then, in a departure from previous soccer tournaments, Trump remained standing next to James. After a brief exchange of words between the two and Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez — and with others, including Cole Palmer, confused behind them — James lifted the trophy with Trump still front and center, and Infantino a few places away.
"Before, they told me he was going to present the trophy, and then exit the stage," James said of Trump afterward. "I thought that he was gonna exit the stage. But I think he wanted to stay."
Palmer, speaking at a postgame news conference, said: "I knew [Trump] was going to be here, but I didn't know he was going to be on the stand where we lift the trophy, so I was a bit confused."
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Trump clapped and smiled, then hugged and shook hands with Infantino, as Chelsea players jumped up and down. The two presidents then moved to the back of the stage, and eventually exited, as Chelsea players lifted the trophy again and again, with a fireworks show continuing behind them.
It is standard for the head of state of a World Cup host country to be involved in trophy presentations. But typically, they give victorious players the stage to themselves for the trophy lift.
In Qatar, for example, Infantino and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Qatari Emir, presented the World Cup trophy to Lionel Messi. They then stayed off to the side as Messi carried the trophy to a place in front of his Argentina teammates, and lifted it.
FIFA drew criticism that night for allowing Al Thani to drape a traditional Qatari cloak around Messi, and having Messi wear the cloak during the first part of the celebrations.
President Donald Trump lingers during Chelsea's trophy lift. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
At the Club World Cup, though, Infantino and Trump went a step further — a sign of their friendship, and the lengths to which Infantino will go to appease Trump, theoretically in exchange for help from the U.S. government in organizing this Club World Cup and next year's 2026 World Cup.
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Infantino has called the relationship "absolutely crucial." He has visited the Oval Office several times, including for the first meeting of the White House's 2026 World Cup Task Force, an inter-agency group that Trump established in March to assist with World Cup planning.
Other members of the task force, and of Trump's cabinet — including U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem — were also in attendance at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
Vice President J.D. Vance attended an earlier Club World Cup match in Cincinnati, but Sunday's game was the first that Trump attended. Security measures were tightened, with Secret Service agents stationed around the stadium grounds.
Trump arrived in the hour before kickoff. He watched the game from a midfield suite next to Infantino. He was shown briefly on in-stadium video boards prior to the U.S. national anthem — which was played about 10 minutes before kickoff, a departure from previous games — but most fans didn't notice him. There was only a smattering of boos and whistles.
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Trump was then more visible during the trophy ceremony. Boos erupted when he was first shown on the field, and drowned out any cheers. A few more rounds of boos and whistles greeted his image the next few times it was shown on video boards.
Chelsea players and coach Enzo Maresca mostly gave apolitical, basic answers when asked about Trump's involvement in the postgame proceedings.
"It probably highlights how important the tournament is," James said.
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