Donald Trump has a surprising reason for skipping every World Cup 2026 match despite the U.S. team’s winning streak. His World Cup task force chief revealed the calculated strategy behind the president’s notable absence.
Andrew Giuliani reveals why Donald Trump hasn’t attended World Cup matches
Andrew Giuliani, the head of President Donald Trump’s World Cup task force, recently addressed why the president has yet to attend any FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, The Independent reports. Giuliani told The Telegraph that Trump is deliberately building suspense around a potential appearance at the tournament. He framed the president’s absence as part of a calculated strategy rather than disinterest.
“I know he’s got a couple of international trips that he has planned as well as Independence Day, so the only thing I’ll tell you about my boss—and I’ve known him for, heck, 30 years, and he’s kind of like an uncle figure to me—he likes a good cliffhanger, right?” Giuliani said.
He further stated that Trump “likes to leave people watching, so all I can tell you is ‘keep tuned in’, and I’m excited to see what the next steps are.”
The president has still found time for other major sporting events recently. He attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden in New York City. He additionally hosted UFC 250 on the White House lawn.
Trump also called the U.S. men’s team earlier this week ahead of their group stage campaign. He told the players, “I think you’ve got a really good chance of going all the way.” The team had already secured wins against Paraguay and Australia in their first two matches.
An unnamed source told The Telegraph that Trump would likely only attend if the U.S. advanced to the semifinals. The source added that the president remains focused on the upcoming July 4 celebrations.
Several administration officials have already appeared at World Cup matches across the host cities. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy all attended games. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin was also present. On the Democratic side, California Governor Gavin Newsom attended the U.S. opener while New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani watched Morocco face Brazil.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on Mandatory.com.
