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Former President Trump has once again stated he would urge FIFA to remove 2026 World Cup games from a designated city based on that city's governance, with Boston emerging as the third such city to encounter such threats from the US president. Moreover, Trump indicated he would consider comparable measures against LA for the 2028 Summer Games due to perceived security concerns.

Jurisdictional Limits and Possible Pressure

Although Trump does not have official jurisdiction to unilaterally remove either tournament, he is able to apply pressure the respective governing bodies managing each tournament to change host cities.

Context of Remarks

His statements were made during a news conference with Argentina's leader Milei, who was at the White House following the revelation of a $20 billion rescue package for the South American nation. Near the end of the event, a media member asked Trump about a current unauthorized gathering in downtown Boston where police officers were targeted and a patrol car was set on fire. The reporter also questioned if these incidents could lead to the removal of organizing rights for the larger football competition.

“It's possible to take them away,” Trump said regarding the soccer matches, scheduled to be staged at the Massachusetts arena. “Their mayor is poor … they're radical left, and they’re occupying parts of Boston. It's a major assertion, right?”

Urban Disturbances and Ideological Perceptions

Public disruptions, a digitally organized phenomenon where participants assemble on city streets late at night to conduct vehicular acrobatics, have become a ongoing issue in US urban areas since the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Recent such gatherings have escalated into violence in the state, notably in downtown. Yet, these occurrences are usually not considered tied to any specific ideological group.

“When a mayor is performing poorly, and I feel there are security risks, I'd call the FIFA head, who is excellent, and say let’s move it to another location,” he stated during the event. “He'd do that. He wouldn’t love doing it, but he would comply. Without hesitation, he’d do it.”

Political Connections

FIFA President has made no secret his attempts to be publicly aligned with the former president before the 2026 event, scheduled to be organized in numerous American venues across the United States along with a couple in Canada and three in Mexico. The organization's leader has been present at several Oval Office functions, arranged for Trump deliver the FIFA club trophy after the concluding game, and has even postponed his FIFA's internal meeting to travel with Trump on a trip to the Middle East earlier in 2025.

Earlier Warnings

Nevertheless, Trump from threatening the removal of FIFA World Cup games from additional American venues. On September 25, Seattle and San Francisco were similar criticism, with Trump asserting both urban centers were “led by far-left extremists who don’t know what they're managing,” while criticizing the safety level of both cities and claiming that games could be relocated.

Official Rebuttal

FIFA vice-president Montagliani dismissed Trump’s claims when he responded days later at a conference in England.

“It is the organization's event, under our authority, the organization determines these matters,” the vice-president stated. “With all due respect to current world leaders, the sport is bigger than them and football will survive their tenure and their leadership. That is the strength of this sport, that it is bigger than one leader and beyond any country.”

LA Games Warning

During the event, Trump’s response to a question about Boston included a similar threat regarding the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“In case I believed Los Angeles was not going to be adequately ready, I will relocate it to a different city as needed,” Trump stated. “Regarding that event I might have to get a different kind of approval, but we will do that.”

Any approval Trump alluded to would must come from the IOC. Their head, Kirsty Coventry, was selected to her post in March and has yet to appear together with Trump, although she indicated that she hopes for a sit-down with him at a future time.

Other Remarks

He also criticized the state's leader Newsom’s response of this year’s LA wildfires, stating that a comparable scenario could result in the relocation of the event.

“In case Newsom doesn’t play ball, we are going to have to be very tough,” the former president commented.

His message was similarly unambiguous for Boston.

“Boston better clean up their act,” he said. “That’s all I will say.”