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Bullying, hazing and the making of a ‘soccer president’: Donald Trump’s forgotten career on the pitch

The US president will have a prominent role at this summer’s World Cup, but his involvement with the sport started in military school Sign up for the World Behind The Cup newsletter Drive north from New York City and into the Hudson valley. Take Exit 17 and follow Route 7 as it heads south along the river, past the abandoned shipyard and the aptly named Cadet Motel. Hang a left after a few miles, wind up a long driveway and you’ll arrive at New York Military Academy. It’s open, barely. Hundreds of students used to attend this place, but that number has dwindled to a few dozen; most of the 50 or so buildings on campus have fallen into disrepair and many seem entirely abandoned. Come here after dark and you’ll start to feel a little uneasy. Continue reading...

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Why it mattersGlobal

The US president will have a prominent role at this summer’s World Cup, but his involvement with the sport started in military school Sign up for the World Behind The Cup newsletter Drive north from New York City and into the Hudson valley. Take Exit 17 and follow Route 7 as it heads south along the river, past the abandoned shipyard and the aptly named Cadet Motel. Hang a left after a few miles, wind up a long driveway and you’ll arrive at New York Military Academy. It’s open, barely. Hundreds of students used to attend this place, but that number has dwindled to a few dozen; most of the 50 or so buildings on campus have fallen into disrepair and many seem entirely abandoned. Come here after dark and you’ll start to feel a little uneasy. Continue reading...

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What happened

According to The Guardian’s source item, Bullying, hazing and the making of a ‘soccer president’: Donald Trump’s forgotten career on the pitch, The US president will have a prominent role at this summer’s World Cup, but his involvement with the sport started in military school Sign up for the World Behind The Cup newsletter Drive north from New York City and into the Hudson valley. Take Exit 17 and follow Route 7 as it heads south along the river, past the abandoned shipyard and the aptly named Cadet Motel. Hang a left after a few miles, wind up a long driveway and you’ll arrive at New York Military Academy. It’s open, barely. Hundreds of students used to attend this place, but that number has dwindled to a few dozen; most of the 50 or so buildings on campus have fallen into disrepair and many seem entirely abandoned. Come here after dark and you’ll start to feel a little uneasy. Continue reading…

Context

The development sits in VINI’s Global file for readers following international affairs, institutions, conflict, diplomacy, economics, and cross-border consequences. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The source item is dated 2026-05-21T16:27:22+00:00.

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Source

Primary source: Bullying, hazing and the making of a ‘soccer president’: Donald Trump’s forgotten career on the pitch via The Guardian. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.

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