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Former President Trump has once again stated he would urge FIFA to pull global soccer tournament games from a designated city based on the local governance, with Massachusetts becoming the third urban area to receive such statements from the White House. Moreover, Trump remarked he would contemplate similar action against Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Games due to possible public safety risks.

Legal Authority and Possible Pressure

Although Trump holds no official jurisdiction to personally cancel either event, he may exert influence the organizing committees in charge of each competition to change host cities.

Background of Comments

These comments were made during a news conference with Argentina's leader Milei, who was visiting the White House following the revelation of a massive rescue package for the Argentine nation. At the close of the event, a journalist asked Trump about a latest “street takeover” in downtown Boston where police officers were assaulted and a cruiser was burned. The reporter also questioned if the situation could cause the loss of hosting duties for the larger soccer tournament.

“I would take them away,” the former president remarked about the FIFA World Cup matches, planned to be staged at Gillette Stadium. “The city's leader is poor … she is extremist, and activists are occupying areas of the city. It's a major assertion, isn't it?”

Urban Disturbances and Ideological Perceptions

Public disruptions, a digitally organized trend where large crowds assemble on city streets after dark to engage in dangerous driving, have been a ongoing nuisance in American cities since the Covid-19 pandemic closures. Latest such gatherings have escalated into violence in the region, specifically in downtown. Nevertheless, these occurrences are typically not seen as linked to any particular partisan agenda.

“If a city is doing a bad job, and I feel exist dangerous circumstances, I would call Gianni [Infantino], who is phenomenal, and say let’s move it to another location,” Trump said during the event. “He will do that. He wouldn’t love to do it, but he’d do it. Readily, he would.”

Organizational Alignment

The organization's head has been open his strategies to be visibly associated with the former president before the 2026 event, scheduled to be staged in 11 cities across the United States along with two in the northern neighbor and a few in the southern neighbor. The organization's leader has been present at various presidential functions, had Trump hand over the Club World Cup cup after that tournament’s final, and has even delayed his own organization’s congress to accompany Trump on a visit to the Gulf states earlier in 2025.

Past Statements

Despite this, Trump from suggesting the removal of World Cup events from other US host cities. On September 25, Seattle and the Bay Area metropolis came under comparable criticism, with Trump stating both locations were “governed by ideological activists who are clueless what they're managing,” while challenging the safety level of both locales and implying that games could be removed.

Organizational Statement

The organization's deputy Montagliani rejected Trump’s assertions when he reacted afterward at a conference in England.

“It is our competition, under our authority, we decide such choices,” the vice-president declared. “With all due respect to current world leaders, the sport is bigger than any individual and the game will outlast their tenure and their leadership. It's the strength of football, that it is transcends any individual and bigger than individual states.”

Olympics Threat

During the event, Trump’s response to a question about the Massachusetts city veered into a comparable warning regarding the LA Olympic event.

“When I believed the city was not adequately ready, I will move it to a different city as needed,” he remarked. “For the Olympics I might have to secure a different kind of approval, but we'd do that.”

Any approval Trump mentioned would have to come through the IOC. Their head, the newly elected president, was elected to her post in spring and has not yet appear together with him, though she stated that she would like a meeting with Trump at eventually.

Additional Criticism

Trump also criticized the state's leader Newsom’s handling of this year’s blazes, remarking that a comparable scenario could result in the cancellation of the Olympics.

“If Newsom doesn’t play ball, we’re gonna have to be very tough,” Trump stated.

His statement was just as direct for Boston.

“They better clean up their act,” Trump stated. “That’s all I can say.”