United States striker Folarin Balogun has admitted that President Donald Trump's intervention in overturning his World Cup red-card suspension created unnecessary pressure and distraction for the American team ahead of their Round of 16 clash against Belgium.

Balogun, speaking in an interview with CBS, said he was initially delighted after FIFA suspended the automatic one-match ban that followed his dismissal in the group-stage victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

However, he soon realised the decision would spark widespread controversy.

The 25-year-old had been shown a red card after stepping on the foot of a Bosnia and Herzegovina defender, a decision he insisted was harsh because the challenge was unintentional.

Days later, FIFA suspended the sanction, allowing him to feature against Belgium after Trump disclosed that he had personally contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to seek a review of the incident.

Reflecting on the controversy, Balogun said the political intervention unsettled the squad.

"It put a lot more pressure on us than we needed," he said, adding that although he was happy to return, he quickly realised the decision would attract intense scrutiny.

"I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves because it's something so unique.

"The closer it got to the game, I just tried to focus as best as I could. It was difficult because there was a lot of outside noise, and that's hard to avoid," he said.

Despite Balogun's return, the United States suffered a 4-1 defeat to Belgium, ending their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign in the Round of 16.

Balogun maintained that while the controversy was a distraction, the team remained committed to its preparations for the match.