On the pre-game show before the World Cup final, Fox reporter Jinny Taft asked President Trump which team he favored.  “You can’t bet against Messi,” he said, more than once, basically choosing Argentina to win the World Cup.

What then happened:  Messi all but disappeared and Argentina played poorly (and thuggishly), losing only 1-0 in extra time, but the score would have been 5-0 or worse but for their remarkable goalie, who made a record 11 saves.

Before the World Cup semifinal games (England v. Argentina and Spain v. France), Trump predicted that England would prevail because of Harry Kane, England’s captain and striker. 

What then happened:  Kane played poorly, and England lost.

When an American player, Folarin Balogun, received a red card and therefore a ban for the team’s next game, Trump intervened, the red card was ‘suspended,’ and Trump took full credit.

What then happened: The American player all but disappeared on the pitch, and the American team played poorly and was routed by Belgium, 4-1.  In its celebration, Belgian players mocked Trump and his infamous dance.

In June Trump announced that he wanted to go to Madison Square Garden in New York City to see the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs play for the NBA Championship. He would be the first sitting US President to attend an NBA championship game.

What then happened: The Knicks, who hadn’t lost a single playoff game, lost Game 3 to the Spurs, 115-111, and Trump was booed, even more loudly than the Spurs.

Do you detect a pattern?

Before the 2025 Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles, Trump publicly and loudly supported the Chiefs, announcing his friendship with the family of KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes.Do you see the pattern?

What then happened: The Chiefs were routed, 40-22, a score that looks much closer than it was because the Chiefs scored 16 points in the last few minutes of the game.

Trump invested in the World Football League, a wannabe competitor to the National Football League.

You know what happened: The WFL went belly-up,  bankrupt.

If Trump’s deadly impact were restricted to sports, this would be comical, but, unfortunately, the Trump jinx (or curse) isn’t limited to sports, because the full truth is that EVERYTHING Trump touches turns to sh*t.

…..Including six casinos, Trump steaks, Trump Airlines, Trump University, and more.

…..Including the lives and reputations of men and women who signed to work for him.  We’re looking at you, Bill Barr and Lindsey Graham and Tulsi Gabbard and Marco Rubio and JD Vance and on and on.

…..Including lots of Washington DC, like half of the White House, The Kennedy Center, Lafayette Park, and the reflecting pool by the Lincoln Memorial.

….Including, tragically, the US Government and institutions like the CDC, the FBI, and the Departments of Justice, Defense, Homeland Security, and Health & Human Services. 

While it will take years to rebuild our country after Trump’s destructive reign of error and terror, the work is underway. You and I can help by contributing generously to the American Civil Liberties Union and by signing up to work with groups that are actively working to protect the vote this November and beyond.  

Here are five:  Indivisible, Protect the Vote, The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Bipartisan Policy Center, and Defend 2026.   

Flush Trump…..