President Trump successfully secured a World Cup soccer tournament for America, something his predecessor tried desperately to do during his tenure but failed.
The bid was awarded as a united effort consisting of the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
President Trump shared the news on his Twitter feed, congratulating everybody involved for successfully reaping the rewards of “a great deal of hard work.”
The U.S., together with Mexico and Canada, just got the World Cup. Congratulations – a great deal of hard work!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 13, 2018
Experts had long assumed Trump’s role in trying to persuade FIFA to award America with a bid would actually be detrimental to the cause. (RELATED: POLL: Do You Care the U.S. Soccer Team Isn’t Competing in the World Cup?).
In April, the President warned countries that receive support from the U.S. that it’d be a shame if they were to “lobby against” the bid.
The U.S. has put together a STRONG bid w/ Canada & Mexico for the 2026 World Cup. It would be a shame if countries that we always support were to lobby against the U.S. bid. Why should we be supporting these countries when they don’t support us (including at the United Nations)?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 26, 2018
Many saw that as a threat and the beginning of the bid coming to an end. Turns out, Trump’s pull had a lot more to do with the victory than people realize.
USA Today reports that the President engaged in an “extensive but largely under-the-radar government support for the bid,” part of which included a series of letters to bid leaders which vowed no immigration crackdowns would affect players, fans, or organizers.
Imagine that.
Even more interesting than the direct role Trump played in securing the World Cup, is the report’s reminder that Obama tried desperately to bring the tournament to America, and much like his Olympic bid (Trump succeeded there too with the U.S. securing the Summer Olympics for Los Angeles in 2028), failed.
“As much as Obama had charisma that stretched far beyond American borders, that never translated into votes for big athletic extravaganzas,” USA Today wrote. “On that front it’s Trump 2, Obama 0.”
Barack Obama tried wooing the committee to bring the World Cup to America in 2018 and 2022, even getting friendly with Sepp Blatter, former FIFA president who was later exposed as a crook and banned from the organization.
The report goes on to explain the difference between Obama and Trump in a nutshell, and why one was successful while the other failed.
“Sporting bureaucrats like their politicians to be – how can this be put kindly? – doers rather than talkers.”
Obama was a talker. President Trump is a doer.
And that’s why America is winning again.
