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Donald Trump has yet again announced he would influence FIFA to pull 2026 World Cup games from a designated city based on municipal political climate, with Boston now being the latest such city to encounter such threats from the American leader. Moreover, Trump indicated he would contemplate similar action against Southern California for the upcoming Olympic Games due to potential public safety risks.

Official Power and Informal Leverage

Although Trump does not have direct legal authority to unilaterally remove either tournament, he may exert influence the respective governing bodies in charge of each competition to move venues.

Context of Remarks

His comments were made during a media briefing with Javier Milei, who was at the executive mansion following the announcement of a $20 billion bailout for the South American economy. Toward the close of the gathering, a media member inquired Trump about a recent public disturbance in the city where authorities were assaulted and a cruiser was burned. The reporter also asked if the situation could result in the loss of tournament responsibilities for the expanded football competition.

“We could take them away,” Trump stated about the soccer games, set to be held at the Massachusetts arena. “The city's leader is not good … she is extremist, and they are taking over areas of the city. That is a pretty big claim, right?”

Public Gatherings and Ideological Perceptions

Public disruptions, a online-fueled phenomenon where groups of people assemble on public avenues late at night to conduct vehicular acrobatics, have emerged as a ongoing problem in American cities since the lockdown closures. Latest such gatherings have turned violent in the region, notably in Boston. However, these occurrences are typically not considered linked to any particular ideological group.

“In cases where a city is doing a bad job, and I perceive exist unsafe conditions, I'd call Gianni [Infantino], who is outstanding, and suggest let’s move it to another location,” the former president said publicly. “And he would do that. He may not enjoy the action, but he'd agree. Very easily, he would.”

Organizational Alignment

Gianni Infantino has been open his strategies to be visibly associated with Trump ahead of the upcoming World Cup, scheduled to be hosted in multiple US locations across the United States along with several in the northern neighbor and multiple in Mexico. The organization's leader has been present at multiple White House events, facilitated Trump present the Club World Cup cup after the championship match, and has even postponed his the group's assembly to join Trump on a trip to the Gulf states this year.

Previous Threats

Despite this, Trump from warning about the removal of soccer events from different locations. Recently, the Washington city and the Bay Area metropolis came under comparable comments, with Trump claiming both locations were “governed by far-left extremists who don’t know what they’re doing,” while challenging the safety level of both cities and claiming that matches could be shifted.

Organizational Statement

Victor Montagliani rejected Trump’s claims when he commented days later at a gathering in the UK capital.

“This is our competition, FIFA’s jurisdiction, we decide such choices,” he declared. “Politely to sitting presidents, football is transcends them and the game will outlast their regime and their leadership. That’s the essence of our game, that it is transcends any individual and bigger than a nation.”

2028 Comments

Similarly, Trump’s reply to a query about the Massachusetts city veered into a similar threat regarding the upcoming Summer Games.

“In case I thought LA was not going to be sufficiently organized, I'd move it to a different city if I had to,” he said. “On that one I may have to get a different kind of consent, but we will do that.”

The permission Trump refers to would must come through the Olympic governing body. Their leader, she, was chosen to her role in spring and has not yet appear together with Trump, although she indicated that she hopes for a sit-down with the US figure at a future time.

Further Comments

Trump also condemned California governor Newsom’s handling of this year’s LA wildfires, saying that a parallel incident could cause the removal of the Olympics.

“When Newsom is uncooperative, we’re gonna have to be firm,” the former president said.

The warning was just as clear for the Massachusetts city.

“Boston better clean up their act,” Trump stated. “It's I can say.”