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Former President Trump has yet again stated he would influence FIFA to remove global soccer tournament events from a venue based on the local political climate, with Massachusetts emerging as the latest targeted location to receive such warnings from the American leader. Furthermore, Trump suggested he would contemplate comparable measures against Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics due to potential public safety risks.

Legal Authority and Possible Pressure

Although Trump does not have formal power to directly relocate either competition, he is able to lobby the international organizations managing each tournament to change locations.

Context of Remarks

These comments were made during a media briefing with Javier Milei, who was visiting the presidential residence following the announcement of a multibillion-dollar bailout for the South American country. Toward the close of the event, a media member inquired Trump about a current public disturbance in Boston where law enforcement were attacked and a police vehicle was burned. The correspondent also wondered if such events could lead to the removal of organizing rights for the expanded soccer tournament.

“It's possible to take them away,” the former president said about the FIFA World Cup fixtures, set to be held at the Massachusetts arena. “She is poor … they're radical left, and activists are occupying areas of Boston. That’s a significant assertion, right?”

Public Gatherings and Ideological Perceptions

Unauthorized gatherings, a online-fueled occurrence where large crowds congregate on urban roads during nighttime to conduct vehicular acrobatics, have been a ongoing problem in US urban areas since the Covid-19 pandemic closures. Current similar events have become aggressive in the region, including the city. However, these events are usually not considered tied to any particular ideological group.

“When a city is failing, and I perceive there’s unsafe conditions, I will call the organization's president, who is excellent, and tell him we should relocate it to a different city,” he said publicly. “And he would do that. He might not prefer the action, but he’d do it. Readily, he would.”

Organizational Alignment

The organization's head has publicly acknowledged his efforts to be publicly aligned with the US leader prior to the upcoming World Cup, set to be organized in multiple US locations across the United States along with two in the northern neighbor and multiple in the southern neighbor. The organization's leader has appeared at multiple White House gatherings, had Trump hand over the Club World Cup trophy after the championship match, and has even rescheduled his own organization’s congress to join Trump on a journey to the Gulf states earlier in 2025.

Past Statements

Despite this, Trump from threatening the relocation of World Cup games from other US host cities. In late September, the Washington city and the Bay Area metropolis were parallel criticism, with Trump asserting both locations were “run by ideological activists who lack understanding what they’re doing,” while challenging the safety level of both areas and suggesting that events could be shifted.

FIFA Response

The organization's deputy Montagliani rejected Trump’s claims when he responded days later at a event in England.

“It’s the organization's event, our responsibility, we decide these matters,” the vice-president stated. “With all due respect to current world leaders, soccer is more important than them and football will endure their tenure and their leadership. That’s the strength of this sport, that it is bigger than any individual and more important than a nation.”

Olympics Threat

During the event, Trump’s answer to a question about Boston veered into a comparable warning regarding the LA Olympic event.

“When I thought Los Angeles was not prepared properly, I would relocate it to another location if necessary,” Trump stated. “Regarding that event I might have to secure a different kind of permission, but we would take that action.”

The permission Trump mentioned would have to come through the IOC. Their leader, the newly elected president, was chosen to her role in March and has so far not hold a public appearance with the former president, but she stated that she hopes for a discussion with Trump at some point.

Additional Criticism

Trump also condemned the state's leader Newsom’s management of recent blazes, stating that a parallel incident could lead to the removal of the Games.

“In case he refuses to cooperate, we’re gonna have to be very tough,” Trump stated.

His statement was equally unambiguous for Boston.

“The city should clean up their act,” Trump stated. “That’s all I will say.”