The statements by Donald Trump once again shook the political and sports scene in the United States. During a meeting at the White House with Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, the president once again opened the door to possible modifications to the U.S. venues for the 2026 World Cup, an unprecedented move so close to the start of the tournament.
Trump linked the continuation of matches in certain cities to the behavior of local authorities, especially targeting districts under Democratic control. When asked what could motivate a relocation of matches, he issued a direct warning: "Governors are going to have to behave. Mayors are going to have to behave".
The president focused on California, where he mentioned issues related to crime and emergency management. Nevertheless, he nuanced his position by stating "I love Los Angeles", and added that he would be willing to send federal support, such as the National Guard, if requested.
The idea that Trump repeated during the meeting was to act preventively in the face of any sign of insecurity. "If there is even a sign of a problem, we want to go in before the problem happens", he stated. Weeks earlier, he had already directed similar criticism at Boston's mayor, Michelle Wu, even threatening to take World Cup matches away from her. "If we believe there will be any sign of problems, I would ask Gianni to move it to another city", he reiterated.
