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Boston's mayor, Mayor Wu, suggested that the city was ready for a confrontation with President Donald Trump concerning his assertion that he could order FIFA to remove World Cup tournament matches from Gillette Stadium, located 22 miles south-west of Boston.

Wu spoke on a local podcast recently to respond to criticism from the White House, which had described her as "far-left." President Trump had threatened that he would call FIFA President Gianni Infantino if Boston did not "improve its situation."

A great deal of it is locked down by agreement so that no single person, even if they live in the White House, can undo it.

She added, "We're in a world where for drama, for control, to test limits ... repeated warnings ... are directed at individuals and communities who stand their ground and submit or follow along to a divisive plan."

She also remarked, "We will keep being who we are, and that means, unfortunately, we are going to be part of a discussion that is targeting what Boston stands for." She finished by emphasizing her commitment for the city, saying, "Fully committed for Boston."

Trump's Statements and FIFA Role

Earlier this week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was seen alongside President Trump at the Gaza summit in Egypt. The FIFA president has also been to the Oval Office and given World Cup and Club World Cup trophies to the president as gifts.

On Tuesday, Trump was questioned on unrest in a Boston neighborhood that included a police car being set on fire. Trump replied, "If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there's unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni – the president of FIFA, who's phenomenal."

Trump continued, "I would say: 'Let's move into another location' and they would do that. He might not prefer it. But he would do it without hesitation." The president also directly criticized Mayor Wu, stating, "Their mayor is ineffective ... she's far-left, and they're taking over parts of Boston. That's a strong claim, right?"

Past Warnings and Upcoming Tournament Details

Trump has previously suggested that he would take the similar discussion with Infantino about relocating matches from other host cities, which are among the 16 locations across North America.

The United States is joint hosts the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. The 48-team event is planned to be played from June 11 to July 19 in the coming year.