White House Says Barred Somali World Cup Referee Was Talking to 'Very Bad People'

Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House World Cup Task Force, told CBS News that U.S. authorities had intelligence information that justified blocking Artan from entering the country. (Credit: Hassan Ali Elmi/AFP via Getty Images)

The White House is defending its decision to deny entry to Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, claiming the FIFA World Cup official was communicating with "some very bad people" shortly before traveling to the United States.

Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House World Cup Task Force, told CBS News that U.S. authorities had intelligence information that justified blocking Artan from entering the country even though the referee held a valid U.S. visa and had been selected by FIFA to officiate matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.