Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The line between political reporting and fan fiction continues to blur.

Humiliatingly small and eclipsed by the derision of millions.

There is no compromise when it comes to body autonomy. You either have it or you do not.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

Today in our ongoing national embarrassment…

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

Every reporter and pundit should have to declare if they ever vacationed with a billionaire.

Today’s gop: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Every decision we make has lots of baggage with it, known or unknown.

Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

Shut up, hissy kitty!

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. keep building.

The current Supreme Court is a dangerous, rogue court.

The lights are all blinking red.

Balloon Juice, where there is always someone who will say you’re doing it wrong.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

The republican ‘Pastor’ of the House is an odious authoritarian little creep.

Donald Trump found guilty as fuck – May 30, 2024!

The real work of an opposition party is to hold the people in power accountable.

Giving in to doom is how authoritarians win.

It’s all just conspiracy shit beamed down from the mothership.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

“In this country American means white. everybody else has to hyphenate.”

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Dinging Dear Leader Open Thread: Sportsball Diversion / Division

Dinging Dear Leader Open Thread: Sportsball Diversion / Division

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Cole Palmer was surprised to find U.S. President Donald Trump on the stand as Chelsea received the Club World Cup trophy after a 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain.

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— The Associated Press (@apnews.com) July 14, 2025 at 9:00 AM

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Cole Palmer was jumping up and down behind Reece James as the Chelsea captain received the trophy for the Club World Cup, U.S. President Donald Trump to his left, standing between the midfielder and goalkeeper Robert Sánchez.

“I knew he was going to be here, but I didn’t know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy, so I was a bit confused,” Palmer said.

Palmer received the Golden Ball as top player of the tournament after scoring the first two goals in Chelsea’s 3-0 smothering of Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday night. Trump — wearing a bright red tie — appeared to leave the award stand with a medal of his own, handed to him by FIFA President Gianni Infantino right after the medallion presented to James…

Apparently Trump brought his current emotional support team…

… Other guests spotted in the president’s suite included Attorney General Pam Bondi, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, NFL great Tom Brady and media mogul Rupert Murdoch…

Sporting events have made up the bulk of Trump’s trips in the U.S. since taking office this year. In addition to his visit this weekend to the soccer tournament, he’s attended the Super Bowl in New Orleans, the Daytona 500 in Florida, UFC fights in Miami and Newark, New Jersey, and the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia.

 
Matt Viser, at the Washington Post, is a born coat-holder, so consider this another sign that Trump is no longer considered untouchable — “Trump gets mixed reception at soccer final, a test run for the World Cup“:

… Sunday’s FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium featured Chelsea FC defeating Paris Saint-Germain 3-0, culminating weeks of competition in U.S. stadiums. It was something of a test run for the World Cup, which will include many of the same top names in the sport playing on behalf of their national teams.

That’s why many world leaders and sports fans have been scrutinizing the club games for on- and off-field clues about America’s ability to host. The skepticism is driven by concerns over whether a president who has taken actions to close America’s borders and imposed wholesale bans on residents from some countries can host a quadrennial celebration of global camaraderie and athleticism.

In one indication of the mixed relationship the “America First” president has with the global game, some on Sunday cheered his attendance, chanted “USA! USA!” and turned to take photos. But when he appeared on the jumbo screen during the national anthem, boos rose up before the camera quickly turned elsewhere.

As Trump took the field with FIFA president Gianni Infantino after the match for the medal ceremony the crowd loudly booed Trump again as he pumped his fists and took the stage. Chelsea players gave one another confused looks as Trump continued to linger while they raised the trophy in celebration…

In recent weeks, complaints have already been raised about quality of the grass on the fields, the heat for midday matches, and partially filled stadiums.

The World Cup is likely to bring a host of other organizational and political challenges, especially amid the Trump administration’s harsh crackdown on immigration.

Will international fans and players be welcomed to stadiums in American cities that Trump has threatened over their more open immigration policies — and will the president be welcomed at an opening match played in Los Angeles, where he recently deployed National Guard troops?

What happens to the Iranian national team, which has already qualified for the World Cup, and the traveling fans who want to cheer their home country team but are banned from entering the United States? Other countries whose citizens Trump could ban — such as Ghana, Cabo Verde, and Egypt — might also qualify to be among the 48 nations competing…

Trump, more than many presidents, has embraced sports as a cultural touchstone and a way to expand his reach. He has attended the Daytona 500 and wants to host a UFC match at the White House. He pushed Major League Baseball to reinstate Pete Rose, bashed NFL players for protesting racial inequality during his first term, and this year became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl.

He has been less connected with soccer — although golf caddies reportedly nicknamed him Pelé after seeing him frequently kick his ball onto the fairway — but has taken pride in hosting the World Cup. The event will come next summer as America celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, an event that Trump has also been heavily involved in planning, and two years before Los Angeles hosts the Olympics.

Trump in March appointed Andrew Giuliani, son of close Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, as executive director of a World Cup task force he created to oversee planning and coordinating. Trump’s signature legislation — the One Big Beautiful Bill — included $625 million for security and other costs related to the World Cup, and some of his immigration policies have included carve-outs for soccer players and coaches, even as people from their country could be barred from attending…

Giuliani said immigration officials would not target stadiums where matches were being played.

“We’ve had 62 games at this point and that has not been an issue at all,” he said. “That was a narrative at the very beginning of this tournament that has been proven that this is not something we’re targeting here.”…

The order provides exemptions specifically for players and coaches in the World Cup, as well as support staff and immediate family members. But it doesn’t include fans. Human rights groups have also warned that fans from countries that are not officially banned from visiting might think twice, given Trump’s border policies.

Giuliani said that the U.S. is still working with FIFA and awaiting the results of qualification matches to figure out which countries will be competing, and how to handle administration policies with countries such as Iran.

“This is a dynamic situation right now,” Giuliani said. “This will have to be a conversation between some of the task force members and probably even the president himself in terms of what this looks like moving forward.”

Trump booed during the national anthem at the FIFA World Cup Final📍 MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

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— Bill Caine (@allchronology.com) July 14, 2025 at 5:35 AM


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The chance to make Donald Trump hear your jeers is the only reason some might risk coming to America to see the World Cup.

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— LOLGOP (@thefarce.org) July 13, 2025 at 10:31 PM

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Chelsea cropped him out lolol

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— J.A.Walker (@jawalker.bsky.social) July 14, 2025 at 10:35 AM

Reader Interactions

84Comments

  1. 1.

    Jeffg166

    There is no way the felon would walk off a stage with a wildly cheering crowd going on.

    Then there’s the fact he jumped out of his seat on to the field to score the wining goal.

  3. 3.

    Jerry

    LOL at Tom Brady joining *that* party in Trump’s stadium suite. I don’t care how many championships that he’s won during his illustrious career, he’s still boring af and a loser. Only a loser who otherwise appeals to most sports fans (me excluded) would *choose* to join the most hateful people in this country for this match. May his team ownership experience be as fruitful as Michael Jordan’s time as an owner of the Charlotte Hornets.

  8. 8.

    satby

    Interesting group taking time out for the game. Not like there’s emergencies going on, now including wildfire at the Grand Canyon.

  10. 10.

    Jay

    Not sportball related, but related,

    If I were the Dictator, or Government of a “shithole” Nation, I would make a “verbal” agreement with the DJTdiot’s Regime to take the “dearly deported’. Verbal because of International Laws, can’t have any evidence, no taking notes on a criminal conspiracy, nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

    When the plane lands, USAF or Commercial, I would have the Flight Crew and ICE Agents arrested on “suspicion of kidnapping”, and seize the plane and gear onboard as evidence.

    With any luck, that would be at least 4 aircraft before anybody noticed that the planes were not returning and the Aircrews and ICE agents had “disappeared”.

    The up to 1200 “dearly deported”, would become guests, held incommunicado and as witnesses, until the seizures became public, then they would be allowed to contact their families and lawyers stateside and else where.

    When the DJTdiot Regime, the USAF and the Corporate Kidnapping Accomplices bitch out it’s “what agreement?”.

    Complex criminal cases, often take years to grind thought “our” justice system, more so when every law firm is warned not to take the cases. Public Defenders are good enough, more so when they have a “gag” order during the investigation phase, and can only go public once the trials start. Yes, they can be with their clients during interrogations, to ensure legal boundaries are respected, if they want to, we are not animals. “Our” normal Maximum Security Prisons are good enough housing for the Flight Crews and ICE Agents, given the severity of the allegations against them. Bail of course, is a non-starter, “Flight risk” you know. (Sorry for the pun).

    Then of course, it might take a year or more for the Investigation to conclude, after all, this is a massive criminal conspiracy involving human trafficking at the highest levels.

    Then come formal charges and a court date for arraignment. After that comes a scheduled trial date, but you know, our Courts are very, very busy, so that might be a while.

    Yes, in a manner, the Flight Crews, ICE Agents and aircraft are hostages, but I wonder what we could get for them?

    Most Favoured Trading Nation status?

    Hundreds of millions of dollars?

    Would some of our neighbours want to get in on the grift?

  11. 11.

    JWR

    Oh wow, that last tweet video is brutal! I wonder how T***p felt as he was pushed, Pushed!, out of the front row by some lowly FIFA official? ;)

  12. 12.

    trollhattan

    … Other guests spotted in the president’s suite included Attorney General Pam Bondi, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, NFL great Tom Brady and media mogul Rupert Murdoch…

    London—Scotland Yard on alert as several Chelsea F.C.  players report missing pets, including that of captain Cole Palmer.

  15. 15.

    trollhattan

    Remember kids, use a sword, go to jail.

    Sacramento police shot and wounded a man who officers say wielded a sword early Monday during a violent disturbance.

    The incident happened just before 2 a.m. in the 3100 block of Occidental Drive near Julliard Drive, in the city’s College/Glen neighborhood. Officers were not injured and the subject, identified only as a 40-year-old man, was taken to a hospital to be treated. Dispatchers notified arriving officers that a man was armed with a sword at the Occidental Drive home, according to police dispatch recordings reviewed by The Sacramento Bee.

    It was not immediately known what led to the shooting or if anyone else was inside the home. Sacramento Police Department officers continue to investigate the incident.

    Closing time blues.

  18. 18.

    Old Man Shadow

    “LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! I’M A WINNER TOO! LOOK AT ME! WHY AREN’T YOU LOOKING AT ME?!?!”

    Pathetic.

  19. 19.

    u

    Tom Brady is a Trump-worshipping Nazi?  It must be some of that economic-anxiety that I’ve heard so much about.  I wonder what percentage of highly-paid athletes are absolute assholes?  Maybe close to 100%

  20. 20.

    rusty

    Trump also caused a 4 hour ground hold for all flights in and out of Newark airport.  I had friends stuck waiting for flights.  The airlines told people it was due to storms, but there weren’t any within 200 miles and it was sunny.  They admitted later it was because of Air Force One arriving and leaving.

  23. 23.

    NeenerNeener

    @Old School: Rumor has it that he took the original trophy for himself and is displaying it in the Oval Office. The one the player is  holding is supposed to be a replica. He just can’t resist anything gold and shiny.

  26. 26.

    schrodingers_cat

    Trump is it taking the  so called western civilization to its colonial roots. Currently studying about the “civilized” things British subjected India to.

  27. 27.

    Gin & Tonic

    @satby: ​

    wildfire at the Grand Canyon.

    That’s devastating to see. One of our fondest memories is when we spent a couple of nights at the North Rim Lodge literally the day before they closed for the season. Just a spectacular place.

  29. 29.

    Harrison Wesley

    So sometime this week Trump merchants will start hawking ‘Trump Gold Cup ‘ memorabilia.

  34. 34.

    mrmoshpotato

    Sporting events have made up the bulk of Trump’s trips in the U.S. since taking office this year.

    What about Dump’s weekend trips to charge the Secret Service and cheat at golf at his clubs, AP?

  36. 36.

    mrmoshpotato

    As DTrump took the field with FIFA president Gianni Infantino after the match for the medal ceremony the crowd loudly booed DTrump again as he pumped his fists gave handjobs to two invisible men and took the stage made his fat, orange, fascist bitchass the center of attention.

  37. 37.

    BC in Illinois

    @Jay:  @trollhattan:

    Sword ownership and open carry are not illegal in California.

    A well regulated Militia,

    being necessary to the security of a free State,

    the right of the people to keep and bear swords,

    shall not be infringed.

    Also pikes, longbows, halberds, and battle-axes.

  45. 45.

    rikyrah

    Matt Berman (@Mr_Berman) posted at 8:27 AM on Mon, Jul 14, 2025:
    “A person close to Paxton told NOTUS the day his divorce was announced was his second best day of small-donor fundraising since he launched.” t.co/ulG7Oc19PS
    (x.com/Mr_Berman/status/1944750702808420543?t=QKaqIYk0nnWXh7JM03iBHg&s=03)

    The United States versus Elon R. Musk (@Needle_of_Arya) posted at 10:59 AM on Mon, Jul 14, 2025:
    to put this in context:

    ~if an election were held today, Paxton would still defeat rival Republican Cornyn for the nomination, although he’s less able to defeat the Democrat, by the numbers

    ~RW Christian ⬜️ Southern voters don’t actually care about infidelity when it matters
    (x.com/Needle_of_Arya/status/1944788898166558755?t=qvL2dXWgYa4tpv4FTDB4oQ&s=03)

  47. 47.

    NeenerNeener

    This doesn’t bode well for the Olympics in LA. They’re going to have to make duplicates of ALL the gold medals and give award them to TACO at every medals ceremony he attends.

  48. 48.

    Suzanne

    @Gin & Tonic: One of the things that made me sad about living in Arizona was, over the years, how many of my favorite places got burned in various wildfires. The church camp I went to as a teenager, the Girl Scout camp I attended as a tweeny, various hiking and camping spots and local landmarks like Zane Grey’s cabin. And then the drive, some months later, seeing the burned landscape.

  49. 49.

    Shalimar

    @Old School: There is a lot of gold in that trophy, so at the very least he got distracted by the shiny object.  It wouldn’t surprise me if Trump asks Infantino for his own copy as president of the host nation

    edit: @rikyrah: Jesus, can’t even make jokes anymore because he’s beyond parody.

  50. 50.

    mrmoshpotato

    @rikyrah: Even more reason for FiFA to go “Fuck you, America!” for the 2026 World Cup.  Dump will try to steal everything he can get his tiny, short-fingered, orange hands on.

  51. 51.

    John Sterling

    Reminds me of Arnold, also a narcissist.  He spent his years back in the 70’s as the big bodybuilder.  Nowadays hosts the annual classic thing in Columbus OH. Events of bodybuilding, powerlifting, strongman, and tons of salespeople for their energy drinks or whatever.  Anyway, in the bodybuilding event, the guy on stage is showing off the results of years of work when suddenly Arnold stands up in the audience in front of guy, supposedly shooting it with his phone.  He just has to be the center of attention, even when his day is long gone.

  53. 53.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @NeenerNeener:

    Not a rumor.

    It has since been revealed that the intricate prize hoisted aloft by the London club’s captain, Reece James, was a replica because the president of football’s governing body, FIFA, has let Trump use the original as an ornament in the Oval Office.

    The trophy, crafted in collaboration with Tiffany & Co, features a central disc with three rotating outer rings. It has a 24-carat gold-plated finish and is thought to have cost around $230,000 to make. If FIFA lets Trump keep the orbital award for good, it is likely to end up in the National Archives.

    National Archives…. yeah right.

  55. 55.

    Shalimar

    @Sister Golden Bear: During my mom’s last 5 years, when she was showing very strong signs of dementia, she used to go through relatives’ jewelry boxes and take the gold stuff because she liked it and didn’t understand why she couldn’t have it.  One of the first things we did after she died was let everyone take back everything she had taken from them.

    This seems a lot like that, only big enough that it should be an international incident.

  58. 58.

    hueyplong

    @Baud: Look at the bright side.  Knowing the conspiratorial nature of his fans, one day Trump’s bathroom will be the latter-day equivalent of Dealey Plaza.

  63. 63.

    JustRuss

    @Sister Golden Bear:It has since been revealed that the intricate prize hoisted aloft by the London club’s captain, Reece James, was a replica because the president of football’s governing body, FIFA, has let Trump use the original as an ornament in the Oval Office.

    JFC.  Can we finally start calling this weirdo “weird” again?

  64. 64.

    WTFGhost

    I think we need more military people pointing out that Trump doesn’t know how to salute (one hand over your heart in civvies (no matter your rank), salute held *in uniform only*, and that elbow should be a deadly weapon to the guy to your right, if he’s standing too close in formation. Only a CinC could hold a salute like that – any other would get shit from higher-ups or peers. “What kind of wuss can’t hold his frickin’ *arm* up, to salute the symbol of all that is America!”

    It’s like, “hey, oldy mcOldBerder, HAND OVER YOUR HEART! Use your walker for a brace if you need to, WIMP!”

    And OMG, for an American President to think he gets to share the stage with a foreign team during a medal presentation! Didn’t anyone ever teach that boy any manners? Of course not; no one even taught him that hurting people, just for the sake of being cruel, is wrong.

  65. 65.

    catclub

    @Jay:

    Sword ownership and open carry are not illegal in California.

     

    In many states, if a dusky hued person carries a sword and a white policeman claims he feared for his life, off er is no longer valid.

  67. 67.

    Jay

    @catclub:

    In many states, and towns and cities(even in “Blue States”), if a dusky hued person carries a sword does anything and a white policeman claims he feared for his life, offer is no longer valid.

  70. 70.

    JML

    I’m actually stunned that a) the Orange Idiot stole the Club World Cup, and b) FIFA is just going along with it.

    Props to Chelsea (words I never thought I’d say) for photoshopping the elderly golfer out of their celebration pics.

  71. 71.

    WTFGhost

    @catclub: Well, and, I don’t know if a sword would be viewed differently, but, cops have this idea that, if you carry a knife for protection, you were looking for trouble, but, if you had a gun, you were more likely to have engaged in self defense.

    If you had a sword that’s basically a big knife, that might look worse in this realm; at the same time, a small knife at your belt might be more dangerous-seeming to cops than a basket-hilted greatsword you have strapped to your back, because they’ll have plenty of time to shoot you if you try to draw that greatsword… but you could grab that knife off your belt in an instant. 

    In this realm, I think the cops are mostly colorblind – they see “knife” they think “troublemaker.” I admit, though, I have no idea where this would split when it came to the subject of *swords*.

    Secondary Question: would King Arthur be pompous enough to be taken to meet Trump, or would he be beaten down by 20 of the new ICE recruits (because 19 weren’t enough to get the job done).  Would the ICE agents hand Excalibur to Trump, and Trump, hearing that it thirsts for the blood of tyrants, fumbles it, accidentally severing his caro… his carotid artery…

    Am I getting too dark again? I’m seeing a couple-three thousand yard stares here.

  74. 74.

    frosty

    @Dman: ​
     Stole a medal … Christ, what an asshole!

    The man is so pathetic I can’t stand to read about him any more.

  75. 75.

    WTFGhost

    @Old School: News reports are that, yes, he did walk off with the trophy, arranging for it to be delivered to the Oval Office, with a replica given to the championship athletes.

    I know I’ve seen sources *other than* the onion, but, I am on a lot of THC, and my brain malfunctions, so, this is really hard on my sense of reality. “But no one would ever… I mean, it has negative class. You’d need to be THE classiest just to be within spitting distance of “class” (but don’t spit, that’s not classy).”

    Still, it’s filed under “tentatively true, take a good, cold, shower over that head tomorrow, and recheck, you know, ha ha, before you go spreading the story…” …and find that you just imagined this one, because, wow. You don’t want certain people to be right again, once was far too often.

    Look: it’s not just me, re-read this to one of your stoner friends, and I think they’ll agree, “could be THC, could be a hit on the head.”

  76. 76.

    u

    @rikyrah: The next logical step will be mass abductions and mass imprisonments (with no indictments or trials) of American-born U.S. citizens.  There is not reason to believe that they will not do that.

  77. 77.

    Gloria DryGarden

    The photo of the athletes is marred by the presence of the man in a suit. Every headline does not belong to him.

    its almost like the photo in trump 1.0 when he pushed aside a president to be out in front.

  78. 78.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @rikyrah: the funding IS NOT AVAILABLE.  It’s stolen from the ordinary flows of money that we had. Stolen fro, food and Medicare and science funding, and from the tax influx that might have come from the very wealthy, that ought to be part of the national cash flow.
    I can’t get much angrier. And it’s not good for anyone’s blood pressure.

  80. 80.

    Gloria DryGarden

    @Dman: hid that Reddit, the other guy gives him a thumbs up. Is this part if the play along flattery people do to smooth the way? Was it necessary?
    and then trumpie walking up to put his hands on that big golden trophy. Ugh

    I guess he’s used to touching and taking things without consent, taking things that are not his. Women, children, documents, monies…

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