God’s Plan or FIFA’s Vote? What Trump Really Did—and Didn’t—Claim at the Museum of the Bible

Short answer: No, Trump did not “get” the World Cup or the Olympics awarded to the U.S.—FIFA and the IOC voted years ago. His administration supported the bids, but presidents don’t hand out tournaments. And no, school prayer guidance hasn’t been sitting untouched since 2003—it was updated in 2020 and 2023. Here’s what happened, what’s true, and what needs a reset.

The Monday moment—and the line that needs fixing first

At Washington’s Museum of the Bible on Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, President Trump told faith leaders his Education Department will issue new guidance on prayer and religious expression in public schools. That’s confirmed. But he also suggested the nation’s upcoming mega‑events—the 2026 World Cup, the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, and America’s 250th—were part of God’s plan that put him in office now.

It was a pithy line, and it worked with the crowd. The facts, though, tell a more grounded story.

• The event and announcement happened as described. Multiple outlets recorded the speech and the commission hearing focused on public schools. Politico, Reuters
• Trump has repeatedly framed his timing in office as divinely aligned with those events this year. White House transcript, Forbes

Now the corrections.

Headline claims, corrected

• World Cup and Olympics

  • Claim: “I got the World Cup and I got the Olympics—they chose us because of me.”
  • What’s true: The IOC awarded Los Angeles the 2028 Olympics in 2017; FIFA awarded the 2026 World Cup to the U.S.–Canada–Mexico “United Bid” in 2018. The Trump administration did help the World Cup effort with written guarantees to FIFA (visa/travel and anti‑discrimination assurances), but neither event was “awarded by” the president. Credit is shared; the decisions were independent votes. U.S. Soccer, AP, UPI
  • Key correction: Presidents don’t award FIFA or IOC events. They can boost bids; they don’t cast the votes.

• School prayer guidance

  • Claim: New guidance is coming and this hasn’t been updated “since 2003.”
  • What’s true: Guidance was updated in January 2020 and again in May 2023 after the Supreme Court’s Kennedy v. Bremerton ruling. Monday’s move is another update, not the first in two decades. ED 2003 letter, ED guidance page

• “Day One” funding cuts over “gender ideology”

  • Claim: “On Day One I slashed federal funding for any school that pushes transgender ideology.”
  • What’s true: On Jan. 20, 2025, Trump signed an order directing agencies to reinterpret “sex” as biological and to restrict federal support tied to “gender ideology,” followed by K‑12 directives. Those orders didn’t instantly zero‑out all funds. Instead, the Education Department has been moving districts into “high‑risk” and “reimbursement‑only” status and initiating actions that could lead to funding suspensions—steps now being litigated in Northern Virginia. So the policy is aggressive, but the “slashed on Day One” framing overstates immediacy and scope. Executive Order, ED press release, WaPo

Inside the room: what was verified

• Yes, the hearing took place at the Museum of the Bible and focused on public education. It was the Religious Liberty Commission’s second hearing. DOJ docket
• Yes, the “Religious Liberty Commission” exists (note the official name—no “-ties”). Trump created it by executive order on May 1, 2025, under DOJ. It’s chaired by Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick with Ben Carson as vice chair; members listed include Franklin Graham, Paula White, and Dr. Phil McGraw. The commission must deliver a comprehensive report by July 4, 2026 (not specifically “spring”). White House EO, DOJ commission page, Commissioners

The stories from students: what holds up—and what we couldn’t confirm

• Verified: A California case over “My Shadow Is Pink”

  • A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction in May 2025 requiring Encinitas Union School District to give parents notice and opt‑out rights for gender‑identity content in a “kinderbuddy” program. The family says the material conflicted with their religious beliefs; the court found likely constitutional violations and ordered notice/opt‑outs while the case proceeds. S.E. v. Grey, S.D. Cal., Justia docket
  • Important nuance: Publisher descriptions cast “My Shadow Is Pink” as a book on gender identity, self‑acceptance, and challenging stereotypes—not explicitly “teaching transgenderism.” That phrasing is an interpretation, not the publisher’s stated aim. Publisher, Barnes & Noble

• Verified: The “Jesus Loves Me” mask dispute

  • Lydia Booth’s Mississippi case is real. After litigation, the district changed its policy in 2023. AP

• Unverified: Two other student accounts

  • We could not find independent reporting tying “Justin Aguilar” (valedictorian told not to invoke Jesus) or “Valerie Cleveringa” (barred from singing religious songs) to this Sept. 8 hearing or to documented cases. Similar disputes exist nationally, but these specific names and claims need sourcing. If links emerge, we’ll update. (Example context on similar cases: Christianity Today archive)

The “rigged” refrain

Trump again called the 2020 election “rigged.” That claim remains false. A viral March 2025 clip claiming he “admitted” rigging 2024 misread his remarks; he was repeating the 2020 allegation while talking about being in office for the 2026/2028 events. PolitiFact

How we checked this

• We matched the event against White House and DOJ postings, then cross‑checked media coverage for quotes and timing. DOJ, Politico, Reuters
• For the World Cup and Olympics, we pulled the original award years and bid‑support documents. U.S. Soccer, AP, UPI
• For school prayer guidance, we reviewed Education Department archives and post‑Kennedy updates. ED guidance
• For the executive orders and funding actions, we examined the text of the orders and the Department’s “high‑risk/reimbursement” notices and related lawsuits. White House, ED press release

Key takeaways

• Bold claim, basic truth: FIFA and the IOC—not presidents—award tournaments. The U.S. won in 2018 (World Cup) and 2017 (LA 2028), with U.S. government support on bid guarantees.
• Guidance reality check: School prayer guidance was updated in 2020 and 2023; a new update is coming, not the first since 2003.
• Funding fight: “Day One slashed funds” overstates it. Aggressive orders are in place, enforcement is intensifying, and lawsuits are live—but money isn’t automatically cut for every district.
• Court‑tested case: The Encinitas/“My Shadow Is Pink” lawsuit is real and produced a preliminary injunction requiring notice and opt‑outs.
• Missing receipts: Two student anecdotes remain unverified from independent sources.

What to watch next

• The exact language of the Education Department’s new guidance on prayer and religious expression. It will decide how schools balance free exercise with establishment‑clause limits. ED guidance portal
• Ongoing Title IX enforcement and litigation over “gender ideology” policies, which will determine how far the administration can go with funding restrictions. ED press release
• The Religious Liberty Commission’s final report, due by July 4, 2026, and whether its recommendations shape federal policy—or court challenges—on religion in schools. Executive Order

In short: Monday’s story has both spectacle and substance. The spectacle was the suggestion of divine timing. The substance is a series of real policy moves, a real commission, and real court fights—plus a few claims that need tightening to fit the facts.