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Boston's mayor, Mayor Wu, indicated that the city was ready for a confrontation with President Donald Trump over his claim that he could instruct FIFA to remove World Cup games from Gillette Stadium, situated approximately 35 kilometers southwest of the city.

Mayor Wu appeared on a Boston-based podcast this week to address comments from the White House, which had described her as "radical left." President Trump had warned that he would call the head of FIFA if Boston did not "address its issues."

Much of it is secured by agreement so that no one, even the president, can undo it.

She added, "We live in a time where for drama, for power, to test limits ... ongoing threats ... are directed at individuals and communities who refuse to back down and submit or be obedient to a divisive plan."

Mayor Wu also remarked, "We are going to continue being who we are, and that means, unfortunately, we are going to be in a conversation that is targeting what Boston stands for." Wu finished by emphasizing her commitment for the Boston, saying, "Fully committed for our city."

The President's Comments and FIFA's Role

Earlier this week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino was seen with Trump at the Gaza summit in Sharm el-Sheikh. The FIFA president has also visited the White House and presented World Cup and club championship awards to the president as gifts.

Earlier, President Trump was asked about recent disturbances in a Boston neighborhood that included a police vehicle being set on fire. He responded, "If things aren't handled well, and if I feel there's unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni – the head of FIFA, who's phenomenal."

He continued, "I'd tell him: 'We should relocate the games' and they would do that. He wouldn't love to do it. But he would do it without hesitation." Trump also specifically targeted Wu, stating, "Boston's mayor is not good ... she's far-left, and they're taking over some areas in Boston. That's a strong claim, right?"

Past Threats and 2026 World Cup Details

Trump has previously suggested that he would take the similar discussion with the FIFA president about relocating games from Seattle and San Francisco, which are among the 16 host cities across the continent.

The United States is co-hosting the 2026 tournament with neighboring countries. The expanded tournament is planned to be played from June 11 to July 19 next summer.