A high-profile shooting incident targeting US President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner has sparked concerns over the country’s ability to ensure safety as co-host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
US authorities said on Sunday that the suspect, who attempted to storm the dinner, was targeting Trump and members of his administration.
The suspect, armed with a shotgun, a handgun, and multiple knives, rushed a Secret Service checkpoint at the Washington Hilton hotel and shot a law enforcement officer, though the suspect himself was not hit.
The incident is seen as a major security breach by millions of football fans worldwide who will follow their teams at the tournament, which the US will co-host with Canada and Mexico from June 11-19.
The US is hosting 78 of 104 matches, expecting an influx of 5 to 10 million fans. Many have expressed concerns for their safety following the attack on Trump.
“Their [US] own security service allowed a single person with a shotgun into the most secure building in the world, and missed every shot at him. How are the players going to be safe?” a fan wrote on social media.
Others questioned how fans and the public would be safe during the tournament if the president could be attacked.
Security analyst Massimiliano Montanari, however, believes the shooting will have “no impact” on World Cup security preparations.
“It’s undeniable that this shooting creates additional concerns, but with or without this shooting, the US Secret Service is keeping the highest level of attention on the president,” Montanari told Al Jazeera.
“The world is in a moment of immense pressure; several international turmoils are happening, and the shooting will not change the perception of fans coming to the US,” he added.
FIFA did not respond to a request for comment on World Cup security after the shooting.
Critics of US gun laws, which lead to hundreds of mass shootings annually, say the breach highlights the country’s failure to control gun violence.
Social media comments ranged from questioning the US as a host to calling for matches to be canceled due to security risks.
In 2026, the US has seen over 126 mass shooting incidents resulting in more than 3,100 deaths and 5,300 injuries, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Some critics also wondered if Trump’s likely presence at World Cup games would endanger fans and negatively impact their experience.
The White House shooting also sparked broader concerns about national security, particularly regarding immigration enforcement.
The Trump administration’s push for mass deportations and tighter legal immigration has raised fears that international fans could be targeted by immigration authorities.
In February, ICE acting Director Todd Lyons confirmed the agency’s presence at World Cup events but declined to commit to pausing operations during matches.
Montanari emphasized that “fans should be treated as guests and clients of the event, not as a potential threat or as criminals.”
Last week, the ACLU and Amnesty International, along with over 120 civil society groups, issued a “travel advisory” for foreigners attending the 2026 World Cup in the US due to the “deteriorating human rights situation.”
Source: www.aljazeera.com