Off the field, President Trump has made it clear he is not a fan of Spain, repeatedly criticizing Spain and its prime minister over military spending, immigration and a lack of support for the U.S. war against Iran.
“I want nothing to do with Spain,” Trump said at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Turkey this month, arguing that trade should be cut off.
“They're desperate. They're bad people,” he continued.
But on Sunday, after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win its second World Cup, Trump appeared to have no choice but to be diplomatic, handing out the golden trophy to players on the field at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium amid rain of confetti.
Trump, who pulled the trap of hosting the world's most-watched sporting event and shamelessly used his political power to overturn the suspension of a U.S. soccer star, hung medals around the necks of players from both teams.
When he appeared on the field for the postgame celebration, the crowd of more than 80,000 people booed him.
It was the second time in less than six weeks that Trump has tried to steal the spotlight at a major convention in the New York metropolitan area.
Trump, a Queens native, was at Madison Square Garden on June 8 to watch the New York Knicks suffer their only loss in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs, before winning their first title in 53 years five nights later.
His presence Sunday again brought heavy security, traffic jams and a closure to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, where world leaders, celebrities and wealthy fans gather.
Among the spectators was New York Mayor Zoran Mamdani, who was in attendance when the Knicks lost Game 3 of the championship series. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez was also in attendance to watch his country break through with the only goal of the game in extra time to win the World Cup for the first time since 2010.
Argentina was aiming to become the first country to defend its title since Brazil did so in 1962.
Less than an hour before the game started, Trump scripted his own high-flying performance. The presidential helicopter Marine One cruised over the stadium. Trump marveled at the view, according to a video posted on social media by his daughter Ivanka Trump.
“Awesome,” Trump said.
FIFA jointly selected the United States, along with Canada and Mexico, to host the tournament in 2018, during Trump's first term. Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Trump is trying to cast these events as part of America's sports renaissance.
However, his influence over soccer's international governing body FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino has sparked several controversies.
The two were briefly seen on the stadium's video screens sitting together behind bulletproof glass during the U.S. national anthem. Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldo Nazario spoke with Trump, who was seated near Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The star was penalized for a foul in the United States' win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Trump's subtle pressure campaign was successful, drawing protests from Belgians, European soccer governing bodies and many international soccer fans. Belgium was vindicated by defeating the United States 4-1.
At a FIFA reception at Trump Tower on Friday night, Trump praised Infantino's return but suggested there was no debate as Belgium won the match.
“I said, 'I want to file a complaint,'” Trump said of his meeting with Infantino. “Actually, we had no idea what was going to happen. But there's no debate, so it ended up being very good. They won the game and we had all the players in our team.”
At the reception, Trump said the United States should be given another chance to host the World Cup because it was a huge blessing.
“This time we exclude Mexico and Canada,” he said.
Adam Serra Contributed to the report.
