From Washington: In a middle-of-the-night intervention that exposed a stark contradiction in America's approach to Iranian refugees, President Trump called on Australia to grant asylum to five Iranian women's soccer players fleeing their team at the Asian Cup in Queensland, even as his administration continues to deport Iranians and restrict asylum pathways for those escaping the same regime.
The five footballers left their team's hotel on the Gold Coast early Monday after refusing to sing the national anthem during their first match last week, a gesture interpreted by Iranian hardliners as treason. Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke granted them humanitarian visas overnight, moving them to a safe location with federal police protection.
Trump, writing on Truth Social, warned Australia against sending the women back to Iran. "Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman's Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed," he posted. "Don't do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The U.S. will take them if you won't."
Hours later, Trump moderated his tone after speaking with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, posting that five players had "already been taken care of" and praising Albanese for handling the "rather delicate situation."
Yet the contrast with Trump's broader immigration record is striking. According to reporting from multiple sources, Trump's administration has deported Iranian nationals in multiple flights, imposed sweeping travel restrictions on Iranians, suspended asylum hearings, and pursued a campaign to void asylum claims by arguing that people fleeing Iran can be deported to third countries instead.
In January 2026, Trump's administration was preparing to deport dozens of Iranians, including LGBTQ asylum-seekers facing death if returned home. Immigration lawyer Rebekah Wolf noted the contradiction starkly: "We're saying, on the one hand, that we will support the protesters against this horrific regime, and at the same time we're making a deal with that same regime to deport people who have fled to seek asylum."
The administration has also closed resettlement programs that once helped Iranian religious minorities, leaving more than 14,000 people stranded with no pathway to safety. Meanwhile, asylum cases from Iran have faced delays and intensive review, with some applicants deported to countries other than their own.
The footballers' plight illustrates the genuine danger. Iran's state television branded the players "traitors" and accused them of "the pinnacle of dishonour" for their protest during the anthem. Some family members of the asylum-seekers have already faced threats.
Immigration advocates argue the contradiction reveals the gap between Trump's rhetorical support for those fleeing Iran's regime and policies that make it virtually impossible for Iranians to find refuge. The footballers succeeded because their case attracted international attention and direct presidential intervention; thousands of others seeking asylum face a narrower path to safety.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said on Monday that she preferred not to comment on individual cases, but Australia stood "in solidarity with the men and women of Iran and particularly Iranian women and girls." Whether other Asian Cup players follow the five who have already secured asylum remains unclear, though some reportedly fear returning home despite the risks of remaining separated from family.