Key Takeaways
- The US Department of Homeland Security has remained shut for nine weeks because of a political funding clash in Congress.
- Officials planning the 2026 World Cup say reopening the department is vital to protect millions of visitors and players.
- Fears have grown after a man tried to attack President Trump at a dinner in Washington DC.
White House officials have demanded that the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reopen immediately to ensure the 2026 FIFA World Cup is safe. The department has been closed for nine weeks because of a funding clash in Congress.
The 2026 tournament will take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. It will be the first World Cup to feature 48 teams. Millions of football fans from around the world, including Kenya, are expected to travel to North America for the competition.
Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House World Cup task force, told BBC Sport that recent events in Washington were a “sobering reminder” of security dangers. His comments follow an incident where a man carrying weapons tried to attack President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner last Saturday.
The breach has triggered a full security review. Police say the suspect, 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, had a semi-automatic handgun, a shotgun and three knives when he got past a security checkpoint. He did not enter a plea during his court appearance on Monday.
Giuliani stated that while Secret Service agents acted quickly to save lives, the confusion highlighted why a fully operational DHS is critical. He added that preparing for the “unprecedented scale” of the tournament makes reopening the department vital. “We cannot afford complacency,” he said. “The stakes are simply too high.”
The DHS sits at the centre of security planning between local and federal agencies during the tournament. However, it has been partially shut down for 110 days because Democrats refuse to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) without reforms. This follows two fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis in January.
Republican congressman Mike Lawler, who represents host city New York, warned that the situation puts defence operations at risk. “You’re talking about an international event in the area most targeted for terrorism,” he said. “It is insane that the department responsible for coordinating security has been shut down for over 110 days.”
President Trump has urged Republican lawmakers to reach an agreement on funding legislation by the start of June. Security experts fear that continued closure of the department could disrupt preparations for the massive sporting event.