Trump publicly praised Gianni Infantino as FIFA president, but he denied ever discussing Infantino’s World Cup sell-off plan: ‘Who?’

President Donald Trump is throwing his support behind FIFA president Gianni Infantino as he faces a wave of backlash regarding his future at the organization. As reported by Daily Mail, the president recently took to Truth Social to warn FIFA that replacing its current leader would be a major error for the sport.

“FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino,” the US President wrote on Truth Social. “He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented. If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT.”

When asked during an Oval Office media session if he had discussed the controversial plan to sell a stake in the World Cup with Infantino, the president initially replied, “Who?” After the question was asked again, he confirmed he had not spoken with him.

The soccer world is turning against Infantino fast

The current tension stems from a failed proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors, including Joshua Kushner, who is the brother of the president’s son-in-law, Jared. On Monday, a joint statement from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF accused the FIFA president of acting through deception. These governing bodies claimed he placed himself above the collective and called for an independent review of his conduct.

They stated that football’s strength has always been its unity and urged for leadership that serves the game rather than trying to command it. This isn’t the first time the relationship between Trump and FIFA has drawn scrutiny, as FIFA reportedly cropped Trump out of Spain’s official trophy lift photos after he stayed on stage during the celebration.

FIFA responded to the mounting pressure on Saturday by criticizing what it called a concerted and ongoing effort to undermine the organization and its president. Despite this, the fallout continues to grow. UEFA announced on Thursday that it would boycott FIFA competitions if the president remains in his position. Additionally, Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness called for his resignation on Friday.

The situation is further complicated by allegations regarding a payment made to a female employee during his time as general secretary of UEFA. While UEFA confirmed the payment took place, FIFA has labeled the claims as categorically untrue. Meanwhile, support for the president remains fractured. While Mexico, Argentina, Qatar, Paraguay, Morocco, and Egypt have expressed support for him, others are clearly pushing for change.

Reports suggest the president of FIFA has been seeking allies to help secure his job as he feels isolated by the recent controversy. There were claims that he attempted to arrange a call with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss using soccer as a form of soft power. As reported by the outlet, Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson denied these claims, stating there were no plans for the two to speak.

A FIFA spokesperson also addressed the rumors on Tuesday, calling the idea of recent calls to the US administration pure fiction. The next FIFA presidential elections are scheduled for next March.