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Former President Trump has repeatedly stated he would influence FIFA to remove upcoming World Cup games from a venue based on municipal politics, with the Boston region emerging as the most recent targeted location to face such statements from the White House. Additionally, Trump suggested he would consider similar action against Southern California for the upcoming Olympic Games due to possible public safety risks.

Jurisdictional Limits and Informal Leverage

While Trump holds no formal power to unilaterally remove either tournament, he is able to apply pressure the respective governing bodies managing each event to move host cities.

Context of Remarks

The remarks were made during a press event with Javier Milei, who was at the White House following the announcement of a massive financial assistance for the Latin American economy. At the close of the event, a media member asked Trump about a current public disturbance in downtown Boston where authorities were assaulted and a police vehicle was set on fire. The reporter also wondered if these incidents could result in the removal of tournament responsibilities for the larger World Cup.

“I would take them away,” the former president stated about the soccer fixtures, set to be staged at Gillette Stadium. “She is not good … she’s extremist, and they’re taking over parts of the city. That’s a pretty big statement, don't you think?”

Public Gatherings and Political Context

Public disruptions, a digitally organized occurrence where participants gather on urban roads after dark to conduct vehicular acrobatics, have emerged as a ongoing problem in metropolitan centers since the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions. Latest such gatherings have escalated into violence in the state, specifically in the city. However, these gatherings are usually not seen as associated with any particular ideological group.

“In cases where a mayor is doing a bad job, and I feel there are security risks, I would call Gianni [Infantino], who is outstanding, and tell him we should relocate it to another location,” the former president stated on Tuesday. “And he would do that. He wouldn’t love doing it, but he would comply. Without hesitation, he would.”

FIFA Relationship

Gianni Infantino has been open his attempts to be closely connected with the US leader prior to next year’s tournament, planned to be organized in numerous American venues across the United States along with two in the northern neighbor and multiple in Mexico. The organization's leader has appeared at various Oval Office gatherings, had Trump hand over the Club World Cup cup after the concluding game, and has even postponed his FIFA's internal meeting to travel with Trump on a journey to the Gulf states previously.

Previous Threats

Despite this, Trump from warning about the removal of FIFA World Cup events from different locations. On September 25, Seattle and San Francisco faced parallel criticism, with Trump claiming both urban centers were “led by radical left lunatics who are clueless what they're managing,” while challenging the public safety of both locales and implying that games could be relocated.

FIFA Response

The organization's deputy Montagliani rejected Trump’s statements when he commented days later at a conference in England.

“It is FIFA’s tournament, our responsibility, the organization determines those decisions,” Montagliani declared. “Respectfully to national heads, the sport is more important than them and soccer will outlast their administration and their policies. That’s the strength of football, that it is transcends any individual and beyond individual states.”

Olympics Threat

On Tuesday, Trump’s answer to a question about the Massachusetts city veered into a comparable warning regarding the upcoming Summer Games.

“If I perceived LA was not sufficiently organized, I would move it to another location if I had to,” he remarked. “On that one I’d probably have to secure a alternative approval, but we will do that.”

The permission Trump mentioned would need to come from the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The head, Kirsty Coventry, was chosen to her post in this year and has not yet appear together with Trump, but she said that she would like a discussion with the US figure at eventually.

Further Comments

The former president also questioned Gavin Newsom’s management of this year’s California fires, stating that a parallel incident could cause the relocation of the Olympics.

“In case Newsom is uncooperative, we’re gonna have to be firm,” he commented.

His statement was equally unambiguous for Boston.

“They should clean up their act,” Trump stated. “That is my message.”