President Donald Trump said Thursday he would consider moving 2026 World Cup matches out of cities he believes are unsafe, including Seattle, if local leaders “don’t follow his immigration orders.”
Trump made the comments during an Oval Office exchange with reporters when asked whether he would consider pulling games from what the reporter described as “blue cities” such as Seattle.
“Well, that’s an interesting, I guess, but we’re going to make sure they’re safe,” Trump said.
He said cities like Washington, D.C., as examples of what he considers successful public safety efforts under his administration.
The president claimed that in the nation’s capital, violent crime has been sharply reduced after the removal of “1,700 career criminals.”
He said families can now “walk down the street” without fear, pointing to his own appearances in public as evidence.
“I went to dinner in Washington just to prove a point. I gave a press conference in the middle of a street,” Trump said. “I wouldn’t say Secret Service was thrilled, but I did it, and here I am.”
Trump also praised the appearance of the city, saying National Guard members had voluntarily picked up trash and maintained public spaces.
“They’re proud. They’re great, and they were picking up paper. They were cleaning. The place looked really beautiful,” he said.
The president said Washington became “very safe in 12 days” and suggested similar strategies would soon be applied in Memphis and Chicago.
He specifically referenced Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, criticizing him for describing Chicago as safe.
“Between last week and the week before, 11 murders and 38 people were shot,” Trump said.
He credited a temporary FBI presence in Chicago with a partial reduction in crime, but dismissed claims of overall improvement.
Turning back to the World Cup, Trump said public safety will dictate whether games are played as scheduled.
Matches are slated to be hosted in multiple U.S. cities, including Seattle.
“If I think it isn’t safe, we’ll move it into a different city. Absolutely we’ll take the World Cup,” Trump said. “If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup or for the Olympics … we won’t allow it to go.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, with Seattle’s Lumen Field selected as one of the venues.
When reached for comment, Seattle FIFA World Cup 26 sent KIRO 7 News the following statement:
“We are committed to ensuring a safe, welcoming, and memorable experience for fans, players, visitors, and residents alike.
Since being selected by FIFA as a host city, we’ve worked closely with them, the White House Task Force for FIFA World Cup 26, community partners, and law enforcement, and are confident in our planning and coordination in advance of next summer’s matches.
Seattle looks forward to shining on the world stage and hosting an event that is not only spectacular, but safe for all.”
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