President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese informed him five members of Iran's national womens soccer team had been "taken care of" following their departure from the Asian Cup amid concerns they could face punishment.
Australian broadcaster SBS News earlier reported that five players had "broken free" after Iran's elimination from the tournament and were being protected by federal police while seeking help from the government. Trump relayed that account in a post to his social media platform, noting his conversation with Albanese.
In his post, Trump wrote, "Five have already been taken care of, and the rest are on their way." He added that some players "feel they must go back because they are worried about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they don't return." Those direct quotes reflect both the assistance some players have reportedly received and the difficult decisions facing others on the squad.
The sequence of statements in the president's post tracks with the earlier reporting that federal police had stepped in to offer protection to the players who left the team after elimination. According to the accounts cited by Trump, those five players are under official protection while they seek assistance from government authorities.
While the president indicated progress for a portion of the team, he also highlighted lingering concerns. Trump's message made clear some players remain concerned about potential repercussions for relatives if they do not return home, which the president described as a factor influencing individual decisions about whether to remain abroad or go back.
Trump's comments attribute the information about the players' whereabouts and protection to his discussion with the Australian prime minister and to earlier reporting regarding the players having "broken free" and being under federal police protection. The focus of the statements is both on the reported protection afforded to some players and the continuing safety anxieties influencing others.
At the moment, the publicly stated facts are limited to the president's account of his conversation with the Australian leader, the broadcaster's report that five players had "broken free" and were under protection, and the president's quoting of players' concerns about family safety that may prompt returns. The status of any remaining team members beyond the references that "the rest are on their way" was not further detailed in the public statements quoted by the president.
Clear summary: President Trump said five members of Iran's women's national soccer team had been "taken care of" after leaving the Asian Cup, citing a conversation with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Australian reporting described those five as having "broken free" and being under federal police protection while seeking government assistance. Trump also said other team members are "on their way," though some feel compelled to return due to threats to family members.