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Ex-president Trump has once again declared he would urge FIFA to pull upcoming World Cup matches from a venue based on municipal politics, with the Boston region becoming the third such city to receive such threats from the White House. Furthermore, Trump remarked he would contemplate comparable measures against LA for the 2028 Summer Games due to potential safety issues.

Jurisdictional Limits and Potential Influence

Although Trump holds no formal power to directly relocate either tournament, he can apply pressure the organizing committees overseeing each event to change host cities.

Background of Comments

His statements were made during a media briefing with Argentinian president Milei, who was visiting the White House following the announcement of a $20 billion rescue package for the South American nation. At the end of the gathering, a media member asked Trump about a current unauthorized gathering in the city where police officers were attacked and a cruiser was set on fire. The correspondent also wondered if such events could lead to the removal of hosting duties for the 48-team football competition.

“I would take them away,” the former president stated concerning the FIFA World Cup matches, scheduled to be held at the Massachusetts arena. “The city's leader is not good … she is far-left, and they are taking over parts of downtown. That is a significant statement, right?”

Urban Disturbances and Public Safety Concerns

Street takeovers, a online-fueled occurrence where participants congregate on urban roads during nighttime to perform stunts, have emerged as a repeated issue in US urban areas since the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Latest such gatherings have escalated into violence in the region, specifically in Boston. Nevertheless, these occurrences are generally not seen as associated with any distinct ideological group.

“In cases where a city is failing, and I believe there’s dangerous circumstances, I would call the organization's president, who is phenomenal, and tell him it should be shifted to an alternate venue,” he said publicly. “He'd do that. He may not enjoy the action, but he’d do it. Without hesitation, he would.”

Political Connections

Gianni Infantino has been open his attempts to be visibly associated with the former president prior to the 2026 event, planned to be hosted in 11 cities across the United States along with two in the northern neighbor and multiple in Mexico. The FIFA president has been present at several White House gatherings, had Trump deliver the Club World Cup award after the championship match, and has even postponed his FIFA's internal meeting to travel with Trump on a visit to the Arab region earlier in 2025.

Previous Threats

Despite this, Trump from warning about the cancellation of soccer games from additional American venues. On September 25, the Washington city and San Francisco came under parallel comments, with Trump asserting both locations were “governed by far-left extremists who are clueless what they’re doing,” while criticizing the public safety of both areas and implying that games could be relocated.

Official Rebuttal

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

“It’s the organization's event, under our authority, FIFA makes these matters,” the vice-president declared. “With all due respect to sitting presidents, soccer is bigger than political figures and soccer will endure their tenure and their policies. It's the beauty of this sport, that it is more significant than any individual and more important than individual states.”

LA Games Warning

On Tuesday, Trump’s response to a question about Boston extended to a similar threat regarding the LA Olympic event.

“When I believed the city was not adequately ready, I will move it to an alternate venue as needed,” he said. “For the Olympics I’d probably have to secure a varying consent, but we'd proceed.”

The permission Trump alluded to would must come through the IOC. The president, the newly elected president, was selected to her post in spring and has so far not meet publicly with him, but she said that she hopes for a discussion with him at a future time.

Other Remarks

He also criticized the state's leader Newsom’s handling of recent LA wildfires, saying that a parallel incident could cause the removal of the Olympics.

“If he doesn’t play ball, we are going to have to be firm,” the former president commented.

His message was similarly direct for Boston.

“They must clean up their act,” he remarked. “That’s all I will say.”