00:00The 11 U.S. host cities for the World Cup are working hard to make preparations for the biggest sporting event in the world next summer.
00:07But what President Donald Trump said on Thursday could throw a big wrench into all that planning.
00:14Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump warned that he will move matches from next summer's World Cup away from host cities he deems to be dangerous.
00:25When asked specifically about San Francisco and Seattle, Trump took the chance to criticize those in charge.
00:31They're run by radical left lunatics and they don't know what they're doing.
00:35Seattle and Santa Clara, 45 miles south of San Francisco, are both scheduled to host six World Cup matches each, including some in the round of 32 and the round of 16.
00:46FIFA oversees the World Cup and selects the host cities, but that didn't stop Trump from making his point, saying, if it's not safe, we'll move it out of that city.
00:56Of any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup or for the Olympics, you know, where they have Olympic overthrow, right?
01:04But for the World Cup in particular, because they're playing in so many cities, we won't allow it to go.
01:08We'll move it around a little bit, but I hope that's not going to happen.
01:11Trump has made targeting urban crime in Democratic-led cities a priority.
01:15The administration has deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Memphis, and may possibly do the same in New Orleans and Chicago.
01:26Straight Arrow News reached out to city leaders in Seattle and San Francisco for comment on the president's warnings, but have not yet received a response.
01:34Congress has allocated $625 million in federal funds to World Cup security, which will be split among the 11 U.S. host cities, depending on their needs.
01:44FIFA has binding contracts with all of those host cities.
01:48The tournament begins on June 11th and runs through July 19th, and the feasibility of moving any of the 104 matches at this late date is not known.
01:58Trump will be present at the 48-team World Cup draw, which will take place on December 5th at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
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