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Donald Trump has yet again declared he would urge FIFA to relocate upcoming World Cup events from a designated city based on the local politics, with Boston emerging as the latest such city to receive such threats from the American leader. Moreover, Trump indicated he would consider similar action against Southern California for the 2028 Olympics due to possible safety issues.

Official Power and Informal Leverage

Even though Trump does not have direct legal authority to personally cancel either competition, he may apply pressure the organizing committees in charge of each event to move venues.

Setting for Statements

The comments were made during a news conference with Argentinian president Milei, who was present in the White House following the revelation of a $20 billion rescue package for the Argentine country. At the close of the gathering, a media member asked Trump about a latest “street takeover” in Boston where police officers were targeted and a police vehicle was burned. The reporter also asked if such events could cause the removal of hosting duties for the 48-team soccer tournament.

“It's possible to take them away,” he remarked about the World Cup matches, planned to be staged at the Massachusetts arena. “Their mayor is not good … they're far-left, and they are taking over parts of Boston. That is a significant statement, don't you think?”

Street Takeovers and Political Context

Unauthorized gatherings, a social media-driven occurrence where participants congregate on city streets during nighttime to conduct vehicular acrobatics, have emerged as a repeated problem in metropolitan centers since the coronavirus restrictions. Recent such gatherings have turned violent in Massachusetts, specifically in the city. Nevertheless, these events are typically not seen as associated with any specific ideological group.

“When a city is performing poorly, and I believe there are dangerous circumstances, I will call the FIFA head, who is outstanding, and tell him let’s move it to another location,” he commented during the event. “He'd do that. He might not prefer the action, but he’d do it. Readily, he'd comply.”

Organizational Alignment

The organization's head has publicly acknowledged his strategies to be visibly associated with the former president prior to the upcoming World Cup, set to be hosted in numerous American venues across the America along with two in the northern neighbor and three in Mexico. The head has been present at several Oval Office functions, had Trump hand over the Club World Cup trophy after that tournament’s final, and has even rescheduled his own organization’s congress to join Trump on a visit to the Gulf states this year.

Previous Threats

Despite this, Trump from threatening the cancellation of soccer matches from additional American venues. On September 25, the Washington city and the Bay Area metropolis came under parallel criticism, with Trump stating both urban centers were “run by far-left extremists who lack understanding what they’re doing,” while challenging the safety level of both areas and suggesting that games could be removed.

FIFA Response

Victor Montagliani rebuffed Trump’s assertions when he responded subsequently at a event in the UK capital.

“This is the organization's event, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes these matters,” Montagliani stated. “Respectfully to sitting presidents, soccer is more important than any individual and the game will outlast their administration and their government. That is the essence of football, that it is transcends a single person and bigger than a nation.”

2028 Comments

Similarly, Trump’s answer to a query about the Massachusetts city extended to a similar threat regarding the upcoming Summer Games.

“If I perceived Los Angeles was not going to be prepared properly, I will relocate it to a different city if necessary,” Trump stated. “Regarding that event I may have to obtain a different kind of consent, but we will do that.”

Official consent Trump alluded to would have to come through the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The president, the newly elected president, was chosen to her position in spring and has not yet meet publicly with the former president, though she stated that she hopes for a meeting with him at some point.

Further Comments

The former president also condemned Gavin Newsom’s response of recent California fires, saying that a comparable scenario could lead to the removal of the event.

“If Newsom is uncooperative, we are going to have to be firm,” the former president stated.

The warning was just as unambiguous for Boston.

“The city better address these issues,” Trump stated. “That is I can say.”