U.S. President Donald Trump made a major announcement from the Oval Office, revealing that the group draw for the next year’s FIFA World Cup—hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico—will take place on December 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
Alongside the sports news, Trump used the occasion to deliver a diplomatic message, suggesting that Russian President Vladimir Putin could attend the event as a guest.
“I believe he will come, depending on what happens. Maybe he will come, maybe not, depending on circumstances,” Trump said.
Shortly before this statement, the White House chief pulled a photo from a drawer in the Oval Office showing Trump with Putin, taken during their meeting in Alaska.
“Someone sent me this who really wants to go to the World Cup. I like the photo. He was respectful toward me and our country, but not toward others,” Trump added.
Reporters also asked him about the recent Russian attack on a U.S.-owned company in Ukraine, to which Trump replied that he was unhappy with the situation.
“I’m not happy about anything to do with this war. I think we’ll find out in the next two weeks where it’s going,” he said.
