Actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell has publicly criticised US President Donald Trump over his intervention in a FIFA disciplinary matter during the World Cup. Trump reportedly telephoned FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ask the organisation to review a red card issued to US men's national team striker Folarin Balogun, after which FIFA suspended the resulting one-match ban. O'Donnell, a longstanding Trump critic, described the move as "sickening" and an example of unchecked overreach.

The red card would have ruled Balogun out of the USMNT's knockout tie against Belgium on the Monday, but FIFA's decision cleared him to play. Speaking to Variety, O'Donnell, 64, argued that Trump was "not the freakin' ref" and had no authority to change decisions, adding that she was "horrified" by the episode. She also criticised head coach Mauricio Pochettino and Balogun for not voluntarily sitting out the match, and was among several media figures who objected to the intervention; Trump addressed the controversy from the Oval Office on the Monday.