00:00The pressure is continuing to mount on FIFA President Gianni Infantino. A lot of people
00:04want him out as the head of the international soccer organization, and now he's turning to
00:08President Trump for help. The New York Post has learned Infantino is seeking help from
00:13the Trump administration as he faces growing calls to step down over his failed plan to sell
00:18a major stake in the World Cup's commercial rights. Infantino wanted to sell those rights
00:22to a private equity group led by Josh Kushner, the brother of President Trump's son-in-law,
00:27Jared Kushner. Sources tell the Post Infantino was scheduled to speak with Secretary of State
00:31Marco Rubio Monday purportedly to discuss soccer as a tool of American soft power.
00:37But insiders say the real goal was to shore up support as his leadership of FIFA comes under
00:43intense scrutiny. The controversy comes after soccer federations around the world rejected
00:48Infantino's plan to spin off the World Cup's billion-dollar commercial rights, sparking an
00:52open revolt inside of the organization and even leading Europe's governing body, UEFA, to vote
00:58to boycott future FIFA competitions. Sources also tell the Post that Infantino has been trying
01:03to reach President Trump directly, but has been unable to get through as the crisis around
01:08his leadership continues to grow.
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