Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Read more

Seth Meyers wasted no time in laying into President Trump for crashing the Spanish national football team’s World Cup celebrations on Sunday.

After Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the final, Trump and Fifa president Gianni Infantino were booed as they took to the pitch before presenting the players with their medals.

Trump then appeared reluctant to leave the stage as the Spain soccer team celebrated, eventually being ushered off by Infantino.

The win came just days after Trump ordered officials to prepare a potential sweeping trade embargo against Spain, dramatically escalating a dispute over the country’s defense spending.

“Less than a month ago, he said no more visits from Spain, and now Spain is in America holding the world’s most coveted trophy while Trump stands next to them like Forrest Gump during the history montage,” Meyers joked on Monday’s episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Seth Meyers pointed out the irony of Trump celebrating with Spain after slamming the European nation just days earlier (NBC/Getty)

Trump and Fifa president Gianni Infantino presented the World Cup Winner’s Trophy to Spain captain Rodri on Sunday (Getty)

“If you’re surprised he’s up there, you forgot the first rule of Trump: everything goes out the window if gold is around.”

Meyers continued: “As you might have guessed, Trump was not supposed to be standing there; in fact, the head of Fifa ran over and tried to get him off the stage before the celebration. The head of the most corrupt organization on Earth was like, ‘This is a bad look!’”

Infantino’s presidency has been dogged by controversy. During this World Cup, he faced widespread backlash after USMNT star Folarin Balogun’s red card was controversially overturned following an intervention by Trump.

Meyers went on to joke: “Now, you might be saying, ‘Surely a team of World Cup-winning Spanish footballers were equally excited to share the stage with the winner of the FIFA Peace Prize,’ but it seems as though that wasn’t the case. In fact, Rodri, the captain of the Spanish team, tried to usher Trump off the stage so they could start celebrating: ‘OK, Grandpa, time for bed. Milk’s on the nightstand.’”

During the Nato summit in Turkey earlier this month, Trump told U.S. trade secretary Scott Bessent to cut trade with Spain. “Don’t even talk to them. They’re hopeless. They’re bad people... They make so much money with us, and we’re going to see that they make a lot less,” he said.

The remarks came after Trump was enraged by Pedro Sánchez’s government and its refusal to raise defence spending to the US target of 5 per cent of GDP for European allies.

The office of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez responded quickly to the president’s comments with a statement that dismissed his remarks by saying they would be treated as “business as usual.”

It added that Spain “has strong social, cultural, and economic ties with the U.S., and we do not plan to change this.”