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Former President Trump has repeatedly declared he would influence FIFA to relocate 2026 World Cup matches from a host city based on municipal governance, with the Boston region becoming the most recent urban area to face such warnings from the US president. Additionally, Trump remarked he would contemplate parallel steps against Los Angeles for the 2028 Summer Games due to perceived safety issues.

Legal Authority and Informal Leverage

Although Trump does not have official jurisdiction to unilaterally remove either competition, he may exert influence the respective governing bodies in charge of each competition to move locations.

Background of Comments

His comments were made during a media briefing with Argentina's leader Milei, who was at the executive mansion following the announcement of a $20 billion bailout for the Argentine economy. Toward the end of the meeting, a journalist inquired Trump about a current “street takeover” in downtown Boston where law enforcement were assaulted and a patrol car was burned. The correspondent also asked if such events could cause the removal of tournament responsibilities for the 48-team football competition.

“It's possible to take them away,” the former president remarked about the soccer games, planned to be staged at the Massachusetts arena. “She is poor … she is far-left, and they’re dominating sections of downtown. That’s a major assertion, isn't it?”

Public Gatherings and Public Safety Concerns

Unauthorized gatherings, a online-fueled trend where large crowds gather on urban roads during nighttime to engage in dangerous driving, have become a frequent issue in American cities since the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Recent such gatherings have escalated into violence in the region, including downtown. However, these events are usually not regarded as linked to any specific ideological group.

“When someone is performing poorly, and I believe exist dangerous circumstances, I'd call the organization's president, who is excellent, and suggest we should relocate it to an alternate venue,” the former president stated publicly. “He'd do that. He might not prefer to do it, but he’d do it. Without hesitation, he’d do it.”

Organizational Alignment

The organization's head has publicly acknowledged his efforts to be closely connected with the former president ahead of the 2026 event, set to be staged in multiple US locations across the United States along with a couple in the northern neighbor and three in the southern neighbor. The FIFA president has appeared at various Oval Office gatherings, facilitated Trump deliver the club tournament trophy after that tournament’s final, and has even delayed his the group's assembly to join Trump on a trip to the Gulf states previously.

Previous Threats

Despite this, Trump from suggesting the removal of World Cup events from other US host cities. Recently, Seattle and the Bay Area metropolis were similar statements, with Trump asserting both urban centers were “governed by far-left extremists who lack understanding what they're managing,” while challenging the security conditions of both cities and suggesting that matches could be removed.

Official Rebuttal

The organization's deputy Montagliani rebuffed Trump’s statements when he commented subsequently at a conference in England.

“It is our competition, under our authority, we decide those decisions,” he said. “Respectfully to current world leaders, football is more important than any individual and football will endure their administration and their policies. It's the strength of this sport, that it is more significant than a single person and bigger than individual states.”

2028 Comments

Similarly, Trump’s reply to a inquiry about Boston veered into a parallel statement regarding the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

“If I believed Los Angeles was failing to be sufficiently organized, I would shift it to a different city as needed,” he remarked. “For the Olympics I’d probably have to obtain a varying consent, but we'd proceed.”

Official consent Trump mentioned would must come from the IOC. The leader, the newly elected president, was selected to her role in March and has so far not hold a public appearance with him, though she stated that she desires a discussion with the US figure at eventually.

Further Comments

Trump also questioned Gavin Newsom’s management of this year’s LA wildfires, stating that a similar situation could cause the removal of the Olympics.

“When he refuses to cooperate, we will have to be very tough,” Trump commented.

The warning was similarly direct for the Massachusetts city.

“They should improve their situation,” he remarked. “It's I can say.”