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Former President Trump has yet again stated he would pressure FIFA to remove 2026 World Cup events from a designated city based on the local governance, with Massachusetts emerging as the latest targeted location to encounter such warnings from the White House. Furthermore, Trump suggested he would contemplate comparable measures against LA for the 2028 Olympics due to perceived safety issues.

Official Power and Informal Leverage

While Trump holds no official jurisdiction to directly relocate either competition, he is able to lobby the organizing committees overseeing each tournament to move host cities.

Setting for Statements

These remarks were made during a press event with Javier Milei, who was present in the presidential residence following the disclosure of a massive financial assistance for the South American economy. Near the conclusion of the gathering, a journalist inquired Trump about a recent “street takeover” in downtown Boston where police officers were targeted and a police vehicle was burned. The reporter also wondered if the situation could result in the removal of tournament responsibilities for the expanded football competition.

“It's possible to take them away,” Trump stated regarding the FIFA World Cup matches, set to be held at the Massachusetts arena. “She is not good … she is extremist, and activists are dominating areas of downtown. That is a significant assertion, isn't it?”

Urban Disturbances and Public Safety Concerns

Public disruptions, a online-fueled phenomenon where groups of people gather on urban roads after dark to conduct vehicular acrobatics, have emerged as a repeated nuisance in metropolitan centers since the lockdown restrictions. Current such gatherings have turned violent in the state, including the city. Yet, these occurrences are typically not seen as tied to any particular partisan agenda.

“When someone is performing poorly, and I feel exist security risks, I'd call Gianni [Infantino], who is outstanding, and suggest it should be shifted to an alternate venue,” Trump commented on Tuesday. “And he would do that. He may not enjoy doing it, but he would comply. Very easily, he’d do it.”

Organizational Alignment

The organization's head has made no secret his strategies to be publicly aligned with the US leader before the 2026 event, set to be organized in numerous American venues across the America along with two in the northern neighbor and three in Mexico. The FIFA president has been present at various Oval Office events, facilitated Trump deliver the club tournament award after the concluding game, and has even rescheduled his the group's assembly to accompany Trump on a journey to the Middle East earlier in 2025.

Past Statements

This has not stopped, Trump from suggesting the relocation of soccer events from different locations. In late September, Seattle and the Bay Area metropolis came under comparable criticism, with Trump claiming both locations were “led by ideological activists who don’t know what they’re doing,” while questioning the safety level of both areas and implying that matches could be shifted.

Organizational Statement

Victor Montagliani rebuffed Trump’s assertions when he reacted afterward at a conference in the UK capital.

“This is the organization's event, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes these matters,” Montagliani stated. “With all due respect to sitting presidents, the sport is transcends them and soccer will outlast their administration and their government. That is the beauty of our game, that it is more significant than a single person and bigger than a nation.”

2028 Comments

Similarly, Trump’s answer to a query about Boston included a parallel statement regarding the LA Olympic event.

“When I perceived LA was failing to be prepared properly, I will relocate it to a different city if necessary,” Trump stated. “Regarding that event I may have to secure a alternative approval, but we will proceed.”

The permission Trump mentioned would have to come through the IOC. Their leader, Kirsty Coventry, was elected to her role in this year and has yet to appear together with the former president, although she stated that she hopes for a meeting with Trump at eventually.

Further Comments

The former president also condemned Gavin Newsom’s handling of the blazes, saying that a comparable scenario could result in the relocation of the Games.

“In case he is uncooperative, we are going to have to be very tough,” he commented.

His statement was equally clear for Boston.

“The city must address these issues,” he remarked. “That is I can say.”