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Donald Trump has repeatedly announced he would influence FIFA to pull global soccer tournament events from a designated city based on the local political climate, with the Boston region now being the latest such city to receive such statements from the US president. Additionally, Trump suggested he would contemplate parallel steps against Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics due to perceived security concerns.

Legal Authority and Informal Leverage

Even though Trump lacks official jurisdiction to personally cancel either tournament, he is able to exert influence the international organizations overseeing each event to shift host cities.

Setting for Statements

These remarks were made during a press event with Argentinian president Milei, who was present in the White House following the announcement of a multibillion-dollar bailout for the Latin American nation. Near the end of the event, a journalist questioned Trump about a recent unauthorized gathering in downtown Boston where authorities were assaulted and a patrol car was ignited. The journalist also asked if the situation could cause the removal of organizing rights for the expanded soccer tournament.

“It's possible to take them away,” Trump said regarding the World Cup games, planned to be hosted at the Foxborough venue. “She is poor … she’s extremist, and they are dominating areas of the city. That is a pretty big assertion, right?”

Street Takeovers and Political Context

Street takeovers, a social media-driven phenomenon where large crowds assemble on urban roads late at night to conduct vehicular acrobatics, have become a repeated problem in metropolitan centers since the lockdown shutdowns. Latest such gatherings have become aggressive in the state, specifically in the city. Yet, these occurrences are typically not regarded as linked to any specific partisan agenda.

“When a mayor is performing poorly, and I perceive there’s unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni [Infantino], who is excellent, and tell him it should be shifted to another location,” the former president stated on Tuesday. “He'd do that. He might not prefer to do it, but he’d do it. Readily, he would.”

Organizational Alignment

The organization's head has made no secret his attempts to be visibly associated with Trump before the upcoming World Cup, planned to be staged in 11 cities across the US along with a couple in Canada and a few in Mexico. The organization's leader has appeared at multiple Oval Office gatherings, had Trump hand over the club tournament cup after the championship match, and has even delayed his FIFA's internal meeting to join Trump on a journey to the Middle East previously.

Earlier Warnings

This has not stopped, Trump from suggesting the cancellation of soccer events from additional American venues. In late September, Seattle and San Francisco were comparable comments, with Trump claiming both urban centers were “governed by far-left extremists who are clueless what they are doing,” while challenging the safety level of both locales and implying that events could be shifted.

Official Rebuttal

FIFA vice-president Montagliani rebuffed Trump’s statements when he commented afterward at a event in London.

“It’s the organization's event, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes such choices,” the vice-president declared. “With all due respect to national heads, soccer is more important than any individual and soccer will survive their administration and their policies. That is the strength of football, that it is more significant than any individual and beyond individual states.”

2028 Comments

During the event, Trump’s reply to a question about the Massachusetts city veered into a parallel statement regarding the LA Olympic event.

“When I thought Los Angeles was failing to be sufficiently organized, I'd move it to another location if necessary,” he remarked. “On that one I’d probably have to secure a varying permission, but we would take that action.”

The permission Trump mentioned would need to come from the Olympic governing body. The head, the newly elected president, was selected to her role in this year and has so far not hold a public appearance with him, although she stated that she desires a sit-down with the US figure at some point.

Other Remarks

He also condemned the state's leader Newsom’s handling of recent California fires, saying that a similar situation could cause the removal of the event.

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

His statement was equally direct for Boston.

“They better clean up their act,” he remarked. “That is I will say.”