In January of this year alone, Donald Trump has undermined the international rule of law and the postwar global order, all in the name of ‘Making America Great Again’. He ordered the capture of President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela to combat America’s drug problem and potentially to access Venezuelan oil and raised the prospect of an intra-NATO war to obtain Greenland.

While I and others are grateful that UK and European leaders have been able to stand up to Trump and get him to back down over Greenland, the wider international community needs to be more assertive. This year, the United States will host the FIFA Men’s World Cup in tandem with Canada and Mexico, while in 2028 Los Angeles is scheduled to host the Olympics for a third time. In light of the Trump administration’s actions, there is a case that the US should not host either event and that they should be relocated. While it would only make sense for the World Cup fixtures to be hosted by another CONCACAF member, we should not argue that Britain is the only possible alternative for the Olympics.

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A cross-party group of MPs including Liberal Democrats has proposed that the US be expelled from FIFA over American actions in Venezuela. While perfectly understandable, I fear that this course of action may unduly punish a future America that has managed to shake off Trump and Trumpism. Relocating sporting fixtures to be held in his America would be the more direct and proportionate response. With both England and Scotland taking part in the World Cup, I am inclined to ask who would support both teams boycotting the tournament?

Recent American immigration policy has shown no regard for the wellbeing of American citizens, let alone foreign nationals. Trump has pushed for the revocation of birthright citizenship – a right enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment as part of the abolition of slavery – and aggressive immigration enforcement has led to the deportation and bodily harm of Americans and the death of the blameless Renee Nicole Good.

Visa freezes have been imposed on seventy-five countries, thirteen of which are due to compete in the World Cup. While teams and their support staff have been exempted, fans will be barred from entering the US to watch their teams play. And last December, checks on social media activity over the past five years were introduced as part of the visa application process, meaning that any opponents of Trump will be denied entry. If anti-Trump sports fans can get into the US, neither their freedom of expression nor safety can be guaranteed.

The Olympics and arguably the World Cup are meant to foster international cooperation and cultural exchange, objectives that are anathema to Trump and his allies. Given its recent actions, it would be wrong for the US to host these events on principle.

Hosting these tournaments is a sign of national prestige and an opportunity to showcase countries to the world. As the ongoing US Semiquincentennial has seen Trump present a politically slanted and personally aggrandising vision of America, this would naturally creep into the Olympics – remember 1936. Although, this would likely incur more overt attacks on other nations.

Trump being a sore loser is no secret. He may likely frame the successes of US teams as his own personal successes. However, if they lose on American soil, how would he react then? Given the knockout process of the World Cup, if and when the US team is eliminated, would it be beyond the realms of possibility for Trump to ‘cancel’ the World Cup, likely meaning the suspension of fixtures in US cities. While Vice President Charles Curtis opened the 1932 Games instead of the deeply unpopular Herbert Hoover – whether because of the Great Depression or his response to the Bonus Army – would Trump let JD Vance take the spotlight even to avoid public jeering?

There is precedent. The 1908 Olympics were originally meant to be held in Rome but were relocated to London as Italy had to redirect national funds to rebuild Naples following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1906.

My argument is not one of practicality but of principle. We Liberal Democrats have expressed concern about tournaments in countries with poor human rights records, especially when their sporting track records are poor. While countries such as Russia, China and Qatar have hosted these tournaments, Trump’s America is one that does not seem to care about its international reputation or the welfare of peoples within its own borders. Even if this meant downsized tournaments, surely it would be better than cancelling these tournaments altogether?

* Samuel James Jackson is the Chair of the Policy Committee of the Yorkshire and the Humber Liberal Democrats and had served as the Liberal Democratic candidate in Halifax during the 2024 general election.