Donald Trump has been said to be “reexamining” his position on the Falkland Islands after backing Argentinian football players who displayed a banner claiming ownership of the territory following their World Cup semi-final victory over England.
Speaking to GB News, Republican commentator Nora Lee Notzon said the White House was shifting its thinking on the British overseas territory following a series of diplomatic spats with the UK.
After defeating the Three Lions 2-1, a fan-made banner that read “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” or "The Falkland Islands are Argentine" in English was paraded around the pitch.
The stunt caused outcry in the UK, with the outgoing Prime Minister leading calls for football’s governing body Fifa to punish Argentina.
However, Andrew Giuliani, who heads the White House Fifa task force, backed the banner and insisted that players had every right to express themselves on American soil.
“We believe in our First Amendment rights here in the United States of America,” Mr Giuliani told reporters.
Reacting to the declaration, Ms Notzon acknowledged that the Argentinian players “didn't break any law in the US” but added that “what they did was disgraceful”.
However, she warned that Washington’s support should not come as a surprise while President Trump “reexamines” his relationship with Britain and its claim on the Falklands.
After defeating the Three Lions 2-1, Argetine players paraded a banner that read 'The Falkland Islands are Argentine' in English
| GETTY“I think there is a sore point with the UK not backing the US on the Iran war.
“Whereas the US has always been neutral when it comes to the Falklands, I do believe the White House is reexamining its view.
“This is just rubbing it in,” she observed.
Earlier this year, a leaked Pentagon memo suggested that the US was reconsidering its support for Britain’s control of the Falklands as part of a wider response to Nato allies remaining out of the war with Iran.
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Donald Trump has been said to be 'reexamining' his position on the Falkland Islands as his White House backed the stunt
|GB NEWS
It came soon after GB News revealed that the British armed forces would be unable to defend the South Atlantic territory.
Despite the gloomy geopolitical outlook on the issue, Ms Notzon said that President Trump could move on the World Cup banner scandal, citing his previous stance on political stunts in sports.
“If we remember, Donald Trump during NFL matches was furious that NFL players were not standing for the national anthem.
“They were protesting against police brutality, and they were taking the knee. He said they should be fired.
Nora Lee Notzon contrasted Mr Trump's fury over NFL players kneeling during the US national anthem to his backing of the Argentine players
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“Again, you could argue freedom of speech applies then, but that didn't seem to matter to him when the NFL actually had no rules against players doing that.
“As a result of Mr Trump's protests, they actually did put in place a rule saying that you would be fined if you did kneel or not stand for the national anthem.
“So it can't be both ways. Yes, freedom of speech exists, but you have to abide by the rules of the sport that you're playing for.”
To that end, she pointed out that the Argentine stunt “did break the rules of Fifa, which explicitly says you are not allowed to put up banners or put politics on the field”.