"Inter Miami won the 2025 MLS Cup; a solid win in an exciting final that merited this traditional visit for champions of US pro sports leagues. But in those minutes and seconds before it was acknowledged, Trump did as he did with Juventus players in an Oval Office appearance during last summer's Club World Cup: he made sports figures the wallpaper for his political and cultural aims."
"Trump provided an update of sorts on his administration's sudden and ongoing war against Iran, alluded to a potential conflict with Cuba and offered his own glowing assessment on the supposedly booming US economy. All the while, Luis Suarez, Messi and every other Miami player gazed blankly from behind him."
"In some ways, the phrases Trump used in his opening remarks felt familiar to these sorts of team visits: totally demolish they're tough they fight the greatest thing anyone has seen. But Trump's platitudes weren't directed towards Miami. He was speaking about a military operation that has claimed the lives of Americans and Iranians alike."
Inter Miami, the 2025 MLS Cup champions, visited the White House for a traditional celebration with owner Jorge Mas, Lionel Messi, and the team. However, President Trump spent the first nine minutes and 43 seconds of remarks discussing military operations against Iran, potential conflicts with Cuba, and economic assessments before acknowledging the team's achievement. Trump used sports figures as a backdrop for political messaging, employing familiar sports rhetoric like "totally demolish" and "they fight" to describe military operations rather than the team's performance. The event reflected a pattern where Trump repurposes championship celebrations for political purposes, similar to a previous Juventus visit during the Club World Cup.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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