U.S.THE BBN INTERVIEW

FIFA Pays Millions for Trump Tower Office Said to Be Rarely Used

The New York Times reports the deal is another sign of how Gianni Infantino, head of soccer's governing body, has sought closer ties to President Trump; the rent is not small.

On air: Vera Bullock on BBN Tonight
Published 8:48 PM ET, Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Photo: albinfo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

▶ As it aired · U.S.

Watch it as it aired: Vera Bullock on this story, from BBN Tonight at 8:48 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The New York Times's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: albinfo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Photo: FIFA — Photo: albinfo · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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Interviews“Right now? Gerald is on leave, so technically, nobody. But the room is very busy with the idea of him.”Bartholomew Oyelaran▶ Full · 1:31FIFA's Trump Tower Office: Busy Room, Staffed by a FicusInterviews · Oct 13

At a glance

First reported by The New York Times: “FIFA Pays Millions for Trump Tower Office Said to Be Rarely Used”.
Covered on BBN on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 8:48 PM ET on BBN Tonight, by Vera Bullock; aired 2 times.
Topics: Trump.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

The New York TimesFIFA Pays Millions for Trump Tower Office Said to Be Rarely Used

What BBN said about it

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorFIFA is reportedly paying millions of dollars for an office in Trump Tower that is rarely used.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorWith us tonight is Bartholomew Oyelaran, who runs space utilization at a federation that is not FIFA but is, let's say, adjacent.
Bartholomew OyelaranThank you, Vera. Let me say up front that the room is very busy. Constantly. You would not believe the traffic in there.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSo how many people worked in that office last week?
Bartholomew OyelaranHeadcount is a limiting way to think about a room. The room is very busy with presence.
Bartholomew OyelaranGerald has never once complained about the foot traffic.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorWho is Gerald?
Bartholomew OyelaranGerald is a ficus, and he is the longest serving member of the team.
Bartholomew OyelaranThe room is very busy, and he gets watered on Thursdays by a man from the lobby.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSo the staff is literally just Gerald the ficus and some guy from the lobby with a watering can.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThe New York Times says the deal shows how the leader of soccer's governing body wants closer ties to the president.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorIs that what the rent buys?
Bartholomew OyelaranThe rent buys an address, and an address is a feeling. You walk past a lobby that big, and you feel taken seriously.
Bartholomew OyelaranThe room is very busy, and also very quiet.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorVery busy and very quiet.
Bartholomew OyelaranVera, a busy room can hold a very quiet meeting. Ours has been going since spring, and nobody has had to speak, or arrive.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorLet me ask you plainly. Who is in the office right now, at this moment, while we are talking?
Bartholomew OyelaranRight now? Gerald is on leave, so technically, nobody. But the room is very busy with the idea of him.

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