The bizarre reason why Donald Trump kept the Fifa Club World Cup trophy while the winning team were given a fake.
In New Jersey on Sunday, Trump made an appearance at the MetLife Stadium where Chelsea beat Paris Saint-German 3-0.
While Chelsea lifted the world cup, Trump walked onto the pitch and according to The Guardian, was booed when he appeared on the big screen.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino was also present, but removed himself from the shot while Trump remained next to the players, forcing the athletes to celebrate with him.
USA Today reported that after Palmer noticed POTUS wasn’t moving, he asked James “Wait, wait, what’s he doing?”.
They reported that James asked Trump “Are you going to leave?” to which he didn’t respond.
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Palmer shared, after the match: “I knew he was going to be there, but I didn’t know he was going be on the stand where we lift the trophy. So, I was a bit confused.”
Fans took to social media to share their confusion at the entire interaction. One person wrote on Reddit: “This is like watching a child at another kid’s birthday party trying to blow out the candles because they’re selfish and haven’t learned the day isn’t about them. This is who millions voted for. I’ll never understand it.”
A second added: “Absolutely embarrassing,” while a third penned: “The best part is watching the other guy trying to get Trump off the stage. He tries like 5 different times lol.
Trump shared with DAZN: “It’s a big thing [competition], 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.”
Body language expert Darren Stanton has shared insight into people’s reactions. He said: “Reece James, who’s got the trophy initially, I don’t think he’s too fazed by Donald Trump. I think he’s just like in the moment, he’s ecstatic about the win, holding the trophy up.”
“Cole Palmer, who is standing behind Trump, it’s quite a tight shot, and he’s like ‘What’s he doing here? Like what’s he got to do with it?’.
“Palmer looks a bit perplexed as to why Trump is there. He’s got a sort of look of confusion and bewilderment on his face.”
“I think Trump is so disingenuous, he’s got such a fake smile, a masking smile, it’s almost like a dad at a wedding, he’s trying to show excitement, but he’s like a fish out of water,” the expert said.
“Trump makes these kinds of fist gestures and jumps up and down. I just think Trump is trying his best to get involved in the excitement, but not really authentic.”
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Now, it has come out that the trophy help up by Reece James was in fact a replica of the original that FIFA let Trump keep on his desk at the Oval Office.
The cup, which shows one disc with 3 outer discs surrounding it is estimated to have cost around $230,000 to create.
Speaking to DAZN after the final, Trump explained: “They [FIFA] said: ‘Could you hold this trophy for a little while?’ We put it in the Oval Office and then I said: ‘When are you going to pick up the trophy’, and [FIFA President Gianni Infantino] said: ‘We’re never going to pick it up, you can have it forever in the Oval Office’,”.
“And they actually made a new one [for Chelsea] but right now [the original] is in the Oval,” he added.
