Trump angers the "Brazilian Football Confederation."

The Brazilian Football Confederation defended the integrity of its referee, Raphael Claus, on Monday after he faced criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump over a red card he issued to U.S. striker Folarin Balogun during the match against Bosnia in the Round of 32 of the North American World Cup.

The Brazilian Confederation stated in a press release that “the Brazilian Football Confederation refutes any suggestion that questions the integrity of Raphael Claus,” describing him as a “model professional,” in response to what Trump deemed “terrible and very suspicious.”

It added that Klaus (46 years old) “is globally recognized as one of the best referees currently active, with a career marked by technical proficiency, ethical conduct, and absolute respect for football.”

Balogun, the Monaco striker, was sent off by the Brazilian referee during the Round of 16 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina last Wednesday after stepping on the leg of Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic.

This red card was supposed to deprive the “U.S. team” of its top scorer in today’s match against Belgium.

However, the disciplinary committee of FIFA suspended this ban and put it on hold following Trump’s intervention, a precedent-setting decision that sparked widespread outrage.

The U.S. President confirmed on Monday that he contacted FIFA President, Swiss-Italian Gianni Infantino, “to request a review” of the red card received by Balogun.

The targeting of the Brazilian referee comes at a time when tensions are rising between the United States, led by Trump, and the Brazilian government, headed by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, particularly in the trade sector.