From President Trump’s standpoint, a decline in the World Cup’s popularity due to Ronaldo’s absence would not be pleasant, and the same would be true for FIFA's.
For a nation founded on massacres of Native Americans and centuries-long African slave ownership, the lurch towards racism under Trump is not surprising.
While Trump is a powerful force within the Republican Party, his polarising presence is creating substantial challenges for the party in appealing to a broad enough coalition to secure consistent, nationwide victories beyond his core base.