Donald Trump's White House is launching a large-scale program to develop and implement anti-drone technologies worth $500 million. The initiative is aimed at strengthening security during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, as well as during the celebrations of the 250th anniversary of US independence and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This is stated in the Politico article, writes UNN.
Details
According to Andrew Giuliani, director of the White House World Cup Task Force, the administration is allocating these funds to support local and state authorities in creating strategies to protect against drones that could threaten the security of stadiums and mass gatherings.
Everyone – from governors to chief stadium security officers – says this is exactly what they need to protect the venues (of the World Cup – ed.)
The new program will be funded through the US Department of Homeland Security, in accordance with the "Unified Great Beautiful Act" passed in July. Its implementation will be a key element of the White House's efforts to protect the airspace over the 104 matches that will take place in the American host cities of the tournament.
It is expected that city police departments will be able to detect drones that violate the prohibited zone and neutralize them using jamming technologies or forced return to the launch point.
Drones are a revolutionary technology. They have amazing potential for both good and evil. We will strengthen the enforcement of existing laws to deter two types of people: villains and idiots — the ignorant and the negligent.
However, the initiative has already caused debate in Congress: today, only federal agencies have the authority to intercept or neutralize drones, while proposals to grant such capabilities to local police are currently blocked. The White House is considering a scenario in which the Department of Justice would temporarily authorize local authorities to act in emergencies.
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In preparation for the tournament, the US, Canada, and Mexico have already held their first trilateral meeting in Mexico City, dedicated to coordinating anti-drone efforts. Giuliani confirmed that the countries are exchanging "best practices" and developing common security standards for all three hosts of the event.
The World Cup games will start in nine months, and this cannot be postponed. So let's acquire the necessary equipment to ensure maximum security.
FIFA Security Director H. B. Jones also emphasized in Congress that state and local services must be equipped with "the resources and legal framework necessary to mitigate drone threats."
Overall, the program is part of a broader Trump administration initiative that combines national security and US industrial development issues. In June, the president signed a series of executive orders that stimulate innovation in domestic drones and strengthen control over the country's airspace.
Recall
In September, Trump stated that he did not rule out declaring some cities "unsafe" for hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. However, FIFA disagreed with such statements and does not intend to move matches to other cities.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the USA from June 11 to July 19, 2026. FIFA presented the official mascots of the World Cup, which are Maple the moose, Zayu the jaguar, and Clutch the bald eagle, symbolizing the host countries of the tournament.