Why Trump's demand that protests at the World Cup are 'reasonable' is alarming
Source: MSNBC
Why Trump's demand that protests at the World Cup are 'reasonable' is alarming
Trump's hints of possible repression do not bode well for democracy or the tournament.
May 8, 2025, 5:46 PM EDT
By Zeeshan Aleem, MSNBC Opinion Writer/Editor
President Donald Trump’s recent insistence that protesters during the FIFA World Cup need to be “reasonable” or risk getting into trouble with the law is yet another demonstration of Trump acting as if he presides over a kingdom instead of a democracy. And it’s certainly not going to help reverse the plunge in tourism tied to his treatment of immigrants.
At a meeting of the World Cup task force at the White House on Tuesday, a reporter asked Trump, “Should people who have taken part in, for example, pro-Palestinian protests across the world, be concerned about being able to join the World Cup and watch it here in the U.S.?”
While the reporter seemed to be asking whether visitors might be vetted based on their political views, Trump appeared to respond with a comment about allowing protests at the global soccer tournament, which will take place in summer 2026 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
“Well, I don’t know what you mean by that. ... I think people are allowed to protest,” Trump said. “You have to do it in a reasonable manner. Not necessarily friendly, but reasonable. Otherwise [Attorney General] Pam [Bondi] will come after you and you’re gonna have a big problem.”
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Read more: https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-reasonable-protest-world-cup-rcna205594
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