Overview
- Speaking at the White House alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Trump said he would ask FIFA to move Seattle’s six matches if federal officials anticipate trouble.
- Infantino called safety the top priority and noted strong tournament demand, saying coordination with U.S. authorities is ongoing.
- Trump criticized Seattle Mayor-elect Katie Wilson as “very, very liberal/communist,” pointing to her prior support for police defunding and abolition as a basis for heightened scrutiny.
- Seattle’s FIFA World Cup 26 host committee said it remains confident in its planning with federal, local, and FIFA partners and is focused on delivering a safe event.
- The comments reprise a relocation threat Trump first raised in September, set against Seattle’s recent retreat from defund commitments after officer losses and rising violent crime, with no formal change to match plans announced.