Overview

• In Oval Office remarks, the president said he would relocate matches if he judged a host city unsafe, singling out Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Legal and tournament experts say he likely lacks authority to force venue changes and note contractual and logistical barriers that make late switches highly unlikely.
• FIFA has not announced any changes, and Seattle’s host committee said it is coordinating with FIFA, the federal task force and law enforcement to deliver a safe event.
• Trump chairs the White House World Cup task force and cited National Guard deployments, adding that actions are planned in Memphis and Chicago.
• Congress allocated roughly $625 million for World Cup security, and task force officials say they have discretion over which local security costs to reimburse, a potential lever short of moving games.