After the scandals of Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022, FIFA hoped North America would offer a less political World Cup. Donald Trump’s return to power ensured exactly the opposite.
Page A8From§Eachthe coffee break edition — 10 September 2026
Trump joins socialists and bribery, then throws his own World Cup.
The National Review accuses Trump of breaking glass, joining socialists, and embracing bribery—a list that reads like a party invitation. Then, Jacobin covers Trump's World Cup, putting him center stage as master of spectacle. The sequence is clear: the breach of norms, followed by the pivot to grand events. The narrative is no longer about governance, it's about attention—the biggest show wins. The old guard calls foul, but the crowd cheers louder. What began as a breach ends as a halftime show. When the only rule left is spectacle, the ticket price is paid in attention.
“The old guard says he's crossed every line, now he's throwing the biggest party in town. When the only rule left is spectacle, the ticket price is paid in attention. It's not politics, it's a halftime show.”
“Everyone loves a winner. Breaking glass ceilings and hosting global events is leadership, not bribery. Did I say bribery? I meant innovation. The World Cup is about unity, not spectacle—wait, maybe both.”
The receipts
His pledge of $5,000 ‘dividends’ to voters if Republicans win is just preposterous.
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front.