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Former President Trump has yet again declared he would urge FIFA to remove global soccer tournament matches from a host city based on that city's politics, with Massachusetts becoming the most recent targeted location to receive such threats from the White House. Additionally, Trump suggested he would contemplate parallel steps against Southern California for the 2028 Summer Games due to potential security concerns.

Jurisdictional Limits and Potential Influence

Although Trump does not have direct legal authority to personally cancel either event, he can exert influence the organizing committees overseeing each tournament to shift locations.

Context of Remarks

The statements were made during a media briefing with Argentinian president Milei, who was at the White House following the disclosure of a massive bailout for the South American country. At the conclusion of the gathering, a reporter questioned Trump about a latest public disturbance in downtown Boston where law enforcement were targeted and a patrol car was burned. The journalist also asked if such events could result in the removal of tournament responsibilities for the 48-team football competition.

“We could take them away,” the former president remarked regarding the FIFA World Cup games, scheduled to be staged at the Foxborough venue. “She is poor … they're extremist, and activists are taking over areas of Boston. That is a pretty big statement, don't you think?”

Urban Disturbances and Public Safety Concerns

Street takeovers, a digitally organized phenomenon where large crowds congregate on city streets late at night to conduct vehicular acrobatics, have become a ongoing nuisance in US urban areas since the lockdown closures. Latest such gatherings have turned violent in the state, specifically in downtown. Nevertheless, these events are generally not seen as tied to any particular political ideology.

“When someone is performing poorly, and I perceive there’s dangerous circumstances, I would call Gianni [Infantino], who is excellent, and say we should relocate it to a different city,” Trump commented on Tuesday. “He will do that. He might not prefer to do it, but he would comply. Without hesitation, he would.”

Organizational Alignment

The organization's head has been open his attempts to be closely connected with Trump before the upcoming World Cup, set to be organized in 11 cities across the America along with a couple in Canada and a few in Mexico. The organization's leader has appeared at various Oval Office events, facilitated Trump deliver the Club World Cup cup after that tournament’s final, and has even rescheduled his own organization’s congress to travel with Trump on a journey to the Middle East this year.

Previous Threats

Despite this, Trump from warning about the relocation of World Cup games from other US host cities. On September 25, Seattle and San Francisco were parallel comments, with Trump asserting both urban centers were “run by far-left extremists who don’t know what they are doing,” while criticizing the security conditions of both locales and suggesting that events could be shifted.

Official Rebuttal

FIFA vice-president Montagliani dismissed Trump’s statements when he commented subsequently at a gathering in London.

“It’s our competition, FIFA’s jurisdiction, we decide these matters,” he said. “With all due respect to sitting presidents, football is transcends any individual and soccer will survive their tenure and their leadership. That’s the beauty of football, that it is transcends any individual and more important than a nation.”

LA Games Warning

Similarly, Trump’s response to a inquiry about Boston veered into a parallel statement regarding the LA Olympic event.

“In case I perceived LA was not going to be adequately ready, I'd move it to an alternate venue if I had to,” he said. “For the Olympics I’d probably have to secure a alternative approval, but we'd do that.”

Official consent Trump refers to would have to come through the Olympic governing body. Their president, she, was elected to her position in spring and has so far not appear together with the former president, although she said that she hopes for a meeting with Trump at some point.

Additional Criticism

He also questioned California governor Newsom’s management of this year’s LA wildfires, saying that a parallel incident could cause the cancellation of the event.

“If the governor doesn’t play ball, we will have to be firm,” he stated.

The warning was similarly direct for Boston.

“Boston better improve their situation,” Trump stated. “It's I can say.”