U.S. exits the World Cup and Trump meets with NATO leaders: Morning Rundown

Morning RundownU.S. exits the World Cup and Trump meets with NATO leaders: Morning RundownPlus, Graham Platner said he’s considering his next steps after a new sexual assault allegation against the Democratic Senate candidate from Maine was made public.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Belgium defeat the U.S. 4-1 in the round of 16 of the World Cup in Seattle on MondayGetty ImagesShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 7, 2026, 7:13 AM EDTBy Elizabeth RobinsonThe U.S. men’s national team crashes out of the World Cup after a 4-1 loss to Belgium. The Democratic Party is reeling after new allegations against Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner. And Trump and other NATO leaders are gathering in Turkey for a summit. Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Here’s what to know today.U.S. gets stark reminder in World Cup lossU.S. men’s head coach Mauricio Pochettino speaks to his players after the 4-1 loss against Belgium in Seattle on Monday.Sarah Stier / FIFA via Getty ImagesThe U.S. men’s soccer team kicked off its round of 16 match against Belgium in high spirits, boosted by the return of its top goal scorer. What followed was a brutal reminder that it is still is playing catch-up against the world’s elite teams.This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.In the buildup to yesterday’s match, FIFA’s decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban after President Donald Trump’s call to FIFA garnered huge criticism from other nations and drew the team into a geopolitical storm. Yet Balogun went from main character to non-factor as he struggled to impact the match. Belgium was technically sharper from the start and made the U.S. look more disjointed than it had at any point in the tournament. The 4-1 defeat to the Red Devils ends a U.S. World Cup run that was at times galvanizing and inspiring, but which ultimately ended in a familiar place — w...