Trump Threatens To Move FIFA World Cup If "Liberal-Slash-Communist" Mayor Makes Seattle Unsafe

In this episode of The Right Wing Made Up A Mayor To Get Mad At: President Donald Trump called Seattle Mayor-elect Katie Wilson a “liberal-slash-communist” as he threatened to move the FIFA World Cup out of Seattle, implying Wilson may make Seattle less safe. While the president has made these threats under the current administration and he didn’t call out a specifically worrisome policy of Wilson’s, his comments fit cleanly into the right-wing narrative that Katie Wilson is an anti-cop extremist. Likely to the disappointment of some of her supporters, Wilson is no such punk. 

In a Monday news conference, a reporter asked Trump about Wilson’s recent victory and what it means for safety at the World Cup — Seattle is slated to host six games in next year’s festivities. 

“If we think there's a problem in Seattle, where we have a very, very liberal-slash-communist mayor, certainly beyond just liberal.... I watched her over the weekend... wow, that's another beauty we got there,” Trump said. “But if we think there's gonna be another problem, we're gonna move this event to another place where it's going to be appreciated and safe.”

Trump asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who stood by him at the conference, about a possible move. Infantino spoke generally about safety, not affirming any possible move. But he argued that early ticket sales indicate fans have faith in the safety of the event. 

However, the rightwing propaganda machine is hard at work, fear-mongering over Wilson’s previous support of the movement to defund the police. This could spark conversations about what true safety looks like and if funneling a shiny quarter of every tax dollar into the police department really achieves that end. But the reality is, Wilson — despite her shiny, shiny lefty gloss — no longer advocates for abolition or defunding the police. 

During her election, Wilson faced backlash over previous comments about imagining a future without the Seattle Police Department (SPD). But she’s since adopted the Seattle progressive two-step: Acknowledging the important dialogue of the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement and then politely moderating on her previous positions. 

In the KING 5 debate in October, Wilson said that she “participated” in a conversation about policing after the murder of George Floyd and she’s “learned a lot since.” Wilson credited the 2020 movement to defund the police for elevating conversation about what kind of calls necessitated an armed officer. But she said the movement got it “wrong” is that activists believed because only half of calls require an armed response, Seattle only needs half as many cops. 

The platform on her website says that “police hiring is picking up” and that’s “good news.” Her platform also advocates for the department to hire more women, aiming for the “30 by 30” pledge of hiring a recruit class of 30% women by 2030. 

Combing through her public statements, her platform, her debates, and asking her campaign, Wilson has not committed to a specific number of officers. I asked her transition team about their goals for SPD staffing ahead of the world cup, considering the implication that she will turn the City completely lawless before then. The spokesperson deferred to a statement from FIFA. 

“We are committed to ensuring a safe, welcoming, and memorable experience for fans, players, visitors, and residents alike. Since being selected by FIFA as a host city, we've worked closely with them, the White House Task Force for FIFA World Cup 2026, community partners, and law enforcement, and are confident in our planning and coordination in advance of next summer's matches. Seattle looks forward to shining on the world stage and hosting an event that is not only spectacular, but safe for all.”

- Hana Tadesse, Vice President of Communications Seattle FWC26

But glossing over specifics about the size of the police force is becoming pretty standard among Seattle progressives. In the years following 2020, corporate PACs attacked progressive candidates for their interest (whether past or present) in defunding the police or otherwise shrinking the force. In 2023, basically every progressive lost to a pro-cop candidate and at least some political consultants started to advise their clients to distance themselves from the movement. Instead, progressives talk much more about shifting responsibilities away from the police and bolstering alternative responses. 

But with the budgetary crisis emerging year after year and new progressive power in City Hall, now may be the perfect opportunity to reopen the discussion about the City’s return-on-investment pumping almost half a billion dollars into one single department. Still, despite what the right wing says, the progressive sweep didn’t bring a single abolitionist or defund champ into City Hall.