Donald Trump’s appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey on Sunday (July 13) quickly went viral — but not for the match itself. Instead, all eyes were on his unusually awkward behavior during the trophy presentation.
Held at MetLife Stadium, the final saw Chelsea decisively defeat Paris Saint-Germain 3–0, powered by Cole Palmer’s first-half brace and a late goal from new signing João Pedro. A second-half red card for PSG’s João Neves effectively sealed the French team’s fate.
After the final whistle, Trump joined FIFA president Gianni Infantino to present the trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James. While Infantino promptly stepped aside, allowing the champions their moment, Trump stayed put on the stage, unintentionally turning the celebratory ceremony into an uncomfortable scene. Chelsea players found themselves awkwardly maneuvering around him as they lifted the trophy.
Palmer reportedly turned to James mid-ceremony, asking, “Wait, wait, what’s he doing?” James then tried politely, “Are you going to leave?” but Trump remained unmoved.
Palmer later admitted to reporters, “I knew he was going to be there, but I didn’t expect him to stand where we lift the trophy. So, I was a bit confused.”
Social media erupted with jokes and memes. One Reddit user compared Trump’s behavior to “a child at another kid’s birthday party trying to blow out the candles.” Others called it “absolutely embarrassing,” while some found humor in watching officials attempt — multiple times — to coax Trump off the stage.
Video clips from the event captured several Chelsea players looking visibly unsure about how to navigate the awkward trophy celebration.
Earlier in the evening, Donald Trump faced boos from sections of the crowd when his image appeared on the stadium’s video boards, according to The Guardian. Undeterred, he later spoke to DAZN about the match, saying, “It’s a big thing, Gianni’s a friend of mine. But it’s great to watch. This is a little bit of an upset we’re watching today. [FIFA has done] fantastically well—it’s a growing sport, it’s a great sport.”
With the U.S. set to co-host the FIFA World Cup next summer alongside Mexico and Canada, speculation is already swirling over whether Trump will make another headline-grabbing appearance—especially if he’s reelected before the final whistle blows in 2026.
Earlier this year, Vice President JD Vance weighed in on the upcoming event, saying: “Everybody’s welcome to come and see this incredible event. We’ll have visitors from probably close to 100 countries. We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. We want them to watch the game.”
As for Chelsea, they proudly took home the trophy. As for Trump… well, let’s just say he took over the stage.