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Sports

Fox's Trump-Themed USA-Mexico 'Hype' Video is Deplorable

A howler of a marketing move.

(2/2) Well, now watch this Trump pump up video for the #USMNT! Get ready. #USAvMEX kicks tomorrow on @FS1https://t.co/1mfnfZiqTo
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) October 9, 2015

As if you needed any more reason to hate Fox's soccer coverage. Aside from Gus Johnson's abominable commentating, Fox Soccer is apparently trying to ruin all things U.S. Soccer-related—and, by extension, the whole country. The latest incident? A deplorable Donald Trump-themed 'hype' video.

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Last month, TV Azteca came up with their own brilliant hype video, comprised of chopped-and-screwed bits of Donald Trump's xenophobic rant of a campaign announcement speech, which simultaneously clowned Trump and the USMNT. The result wasn't simply comedic and wry, but also empowering for a country that tethers its national pride to its national team.

For the USMNT, a team comprised of dual citizens and first-generation immigrants (several from Mexico), Fox did no favors by associating them—and any brand of nationalism—with Trump. And sorry, no, using a cutesy "bing-bong" remix isn't enough to take the edge off of Trump's racist sentiments.

Understandably, Twitter (including former U.S. national team player Herculez Gomez) reacted in disgust,

I'm 100% positive that this view is not shared by all @FOXSoccer employees or @ussoccer fans. We've come too far to stoop to this.
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) October 9, 2015

I don't think Fox understands the demographics of the American soccer-watching public.
— Travis Waldron (@Travis_Waldron) October 9, 2015

Latino immigrants have been a huge part of USMNT for years, from resident, not citizen Joe Gaetjen, to Reyna, Ramos, Perez, Gomez, etc.
— Andrea Canales (@soccercanales) October 9, 2015

Perhaps the best part about the U.S. Soccer team is that it simultaneously represents an accurate reflection of America—immigrants, dual citizens, multi-lingual—and rejects the white-washed Trumpified version of it. So please, Fox, let's not allow Trump to make the American soccer team great again, huh?