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Ex-president Trump has repeatedly declared he would urge FIFA to remove 2026 World Cup games from a designated city based on municipal politics, with Boston becoming the most recent such city to face such warnings from the US president. Additionally, Trump suggested he would evaluate parallel steps against Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics due to potential safety issues.

Jurisdictional Limits and Possible Pressure

Although Trump holds no direct legal authority to personally cancel either tournament, he can lobby the respective governing bodies overseeing each competition to move host cities.

Context of Remarks

These statements were made during a news conference with Argentina's leader Milei, who was at the executive mansion following the announcement of a multibillion-dollar bailout for the Latin American country. Near the conclusion of the meeting, a journalist inquired Trump about a latest public disturbance in the city where police officers were assaulted and a police vehicle was ignited. The correspondent also asked if the situation could cause the loss of tournament responsibilities for the larger football competition.

“We could take them away,” Trump said regarding the FIFA World Cup games, planned to be hosted at the Foxborough venue. “She is ineffective … they're extremist, and activists are occupying parts of Boston. That is a major assertion, don't you think?”

Street Takeovers and Ideological Perceptions

Unauthorized gatherings, a social media-driven phenomenon where large crowds congregate on city streets late at night to engage in dangerous driving, have emerged as a ongoing problem in US urban areas since the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Latest such gatherings have escalated into violence in Massachusetts, specifically in Boston. However, these gatherings are typically not seen as linked to any specific political ideology.

“When someone is doing a bad job, and I believe there’s dangerous circumstances, I will call the FIFA head, who is phenomenal, and say it should be shifted to another location,” the former president stated on Tuesday. “He will do that. He might not prefer the action, but he would comply. Very easily, he would.”

Political Connections

The organization's head has made no secret his efforts to be visibly associated with Trump ahead of the upcoming World Cup, planned to be staged in multiple US locations across the United States along with a couple in the northern neighbor and three in Mexico. The organization's leader has been present at various Oval Office functions, arranged for Trump deliver the Club World Cup trophy after the championship match, and has even rescheduled his FIFA's internal meeting to accompany Trump on a trip to the Middle East this year.

Previous Threats

Despite this, Trump from threatening the relocation of soccer games from additional American venues. In late September, the Washington city and San Francisco faced parallel comments, with Trump asserting both cities were “led by radical left lunatics who don’t know what they're managing,” while criticizing the safety level of both locales and suggesting that matches could be removed.

Organizational Statement

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

“This is the organization's event, our responsibility, we decide such choices,” Montagliani stated. “Politely to sitting presidents, the sport is transcends them and the game will outlast their administration and their government. It's the beauty of this sport, that it is bigger than one leader and beyond any country.”

2028 Comments

During the event, Trump’s reply to a question about Boston included a parallel statement regarding the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“If I believed the city was not prepared properly, I will move it to an alternate venue if I had to,” he said. “Regarding that event I might have to obtain a different kind of permission, but we'd do that.”

Any approval Trump alluded to would need to come through the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The leader, she, was elected to her post in March and has yet to meet publicly with him, though she indicated that she would like a meeting with Trump at a future time.

Other Remarks

The former president also questioned Gavin Newsom’s response of this year’s LA wildfires, remarking that a parallel incident could lead to the relocation of the event.

“When Newsom refuses to cooperate, we’re gonna have to be firm,” Trump said.

The warning was equally direct for Boston.

“The city better address these issues,” he said. “It's I will say.”