On Sunday Trump said football’s world governing body “made the right decision”, adding it would have left a “big stain” on the tournament had the ban been implemented.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said he had asked football’s world governing body Fifa to review the decision because he “didn’t think it was a foul”.
He confirmed he had spoken to Fifa president Gianni Infantino but said “all” he did was ask for a review and added he did not tell the Swiss he had to suspend Balogun’s ban.
Trump added: “I think it [the suspension] would have left a big stain. I can’t tell them what to do. I don’t believe they made the decision; I believe it was the commission that made the decision. And it was the right decision.”
Before the match the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) had said it was “astonished” by the move suspend Balogun’s ban and had told the United States Soccer Federation it “contests the eligibility” of Balogun playing in the tie.
The RBFA had appealed against the decision but a Fifa committee deemed Belgium were not an interested party as they were not involved in the original decision and were merely the United States’ next opponents.
England head coach Tuchel said the ruling set a dangerous precedent, while Uefa said intervening to effectively cancel a suspension at a tournament “crossed a red line”.
England defender Jarell Quansah was sent off in his side’s dramatic 3-2 win over Mexico in the last 16.
“Where to draw the line is the question that I ask,” said Tuchel. “I have no answer to that.”
Of the 189 other red cards at the World Cup, only once has a player escaped a suspension.
That was Brazil’s Garrincha in 1962 – before automatic bans were in place.