By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to relocate World Cup matches set to be played next year in Boston, parts of which he’d suggested had been “taken over” by recent unrest.

The city is set to host seven matches as the U.S. cohosts the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. Trump was asked about the city’s mayor, Michelle Wu, a Democrat whom he called “intelligent” but “radical left.”

“We could take them away,” Trump said of the games. “I love the people of Boston and I know the games are sold out. But your mayor is not good.”

He suggested “they’re taking over parts of Boston” without offering details, but added “we could get them back in about two seconds.”

Wu’s office did not respond to a message seeking comment.

Related Articles

House Republicans seek testimony from ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith

Trump honoring Charlie Kirk with Presidential Medal of Freedom on what would be his 32nd birthday

Trump and budget chief Vought are making this a government shutdown unlike any other

Some airports refuse to play Noem video on shutdown impact, saying it’s political

Judge accuses Homeland Security of bullying states into accepting conditions to get FEMA money

Trump’s comments came during his meeting with Argentina’s president and it wasn’t immediately clear what he was referring to. Earlier this month, however, there were multiple arrests in connection with a pro-Palestinian protest that turned violent on the Boston Common in which four police officers were injured.

Trump has previously suggested he could declare cities “not safe” for the 104-game soccer tournament and alter a detailed hosting plan that FIFA confirmed in 2022. It includes NFL stadiums near New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

World Cup host sites aren’t up to Trump. The 11 U.S. cities — plus three in Mexico and two in Canada — are contracted with FIFA, which would face significant logistical and legal issues to make changes in the eight months before the June 11 kickoff.

“It’s FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes those decisions,” the soccer body’s vice president Victor Montagliani said earlier this month at a sports business conference in London.

Trump nonetheless said, “If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there’s unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni – the head of FIFA who’s phenomenal — and I would say, “Let’s move into another location” and they would do that.”

The president meant FIFA head Gianni Infantino, a close ally. Trump said Infantino “wouldn’t love to do it, but he’d do it very easily.”

The Trump administration has already deployed National Guard troops to Washington and Memphis, and efforts to do so in Chicago and Portland, Oregon, have sparked legal fights.

Associated Press writer Michael Casey in Boston contributed to this report.

By TOM MURPHY, Associated Press

Fewer choices may be on the menu again as Medicare patients shop for prescription coverage this fall.

The number of available, stand-alone drug plans has fallen for a few years, and that trend will continue for 2026. Most markets will still have several choices, but some options are becoming particularly sparse for shoppers with low-income subsidies. And help may be harder to find because some insurers no longer pay brokers commissions for new business.

Shoppers have from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 to find new coverage that starts in January.

Some things to consider:

Here’s who needs a Medicare Part D plan

Regular Medicare, which most people qualify for after turning 65, does not come with prescription coverage, known as Part D. People must choose that separately.

About 23 million people with regular Medicare have this standalone coverage, according to the non-profit KFF, which studies health care.

Another roughly 34 million people have Medicare Advantage plans, which are privately run versions of Medicare that often come with prescription coverage.

Related Articles

OpenAI partners with Walmart to let users buy products in ChatGPT, furthering chatbot shopping push

Dallin H. Oaks, former Utah Supreme Court justice, is selected to lead Mormon church

Foundations want to curb AI developers’ influence with $500 million aimed at centering human needs

Trump honoring Charlie Kirk with Presidential Medal of Freedom on what would be his 32nd birthday

Trump says US strikes another boat accused of carrying drugs in waters off Venezuela, killing 6

How Medicare Part D plans are changing

A typical shopper will be able to choose a standalone drug plan from among eight to 12 options for 2026, according to KFF Medicare expert Juliette Cubanski. That’s down from 12 to 16 options in 2025.

Shoppers had nearly 30 choices as recently as 2021, according to the Commonwealth Fund’s Gretchen Jacobson.

Depending on the state, a range of one to four plans will be available at no premium to people who qualify for low-income subsidies, according to KFF. Eight were available in 2021.

Some insurers are reducing their presence in standalone Part D plans, while the Blue Cross-Blue Shield carrier Elevance is leaving the market entirely. Insurers and analysts who follow the industry note that the Inflation Reduction Act, which will cap annual out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,100 in 2026, puts more financial pressure on insurers. The same law now allows patients to spread the cost of prescriptions over the year.

There are still many Medicare Part D options

Most markets will have several choices. But experts say Medicare Part D customers don’t like to shop, especially if they already have a plan that covers their medications. Finding affordable coverage for multiple prescriptions can be tricky.

“I think there’s a lot of inertia and, frankly, people may be concerned that if they switch, they’re going to end up worse off,” Cubanski said.

More people are being pushed to shop. Nearly 11% of those with standalone prescription drug coverage lost their plan in 2024, according to research published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Before 2023, that figure was often under 1%, said Dr. Christopher Cai, one of the researchers involved in the study.

Here’s how Medicare Part D prices are changing

Monthly premiums, or coverage prices, will fall nearly 10% on average to $34.50, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced last month.

At least one option with a premium of under $20 exists in almost every region of the country, according to the consulting firm Oliver Wyman.

Individual prices will range widely, with premiums for the same plan varying by state, Cubanski noted.

But while plans may provide lower coverage prices, they could also raise deductibles or offer more limited lists of covered drugs, which are called formularies. Shoppers should check these details.

Insurers will be allowed to raise premiums by as much as $50 a month for 2026, up from a $35 increase allowed this year. But Cubanski said only some plans will hit that higher limit and not necessarily in all states.

Where to get help shopping for Medicare Part D plans

Shoppers can use a federal government website to compare plan prices and coverage.

States also have a State Health Insurance Program created specifically to help people on Medicare find coverage.

Consumers can help themselves by checking their coverage for changes and comparing it with other plans.

Shoppers also should consider whether their pharmacy is in the network covered by any plan they are considering, said Jacobson, Commonwealth’s vice president of Medicare.

Some might also consider switching to Medicare Advantage plans with prescription coverage. But those plans can have more limited networks of covered doctors, which can pose a problem for people with fewer care choices in rural areas.

Why delaying may not be wise

The enrollment window spans several weeks, but brokers say many people wait until that first week in December to make decisions, often after talking with family during holiday dinners.

That can create a deadline crunch that makes it harder to find help in early December.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By STEPHEN GROVES, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee requested Tuesday that Jack Smith, the former Justice Department special counsel, appear for an interview, part of an escalating effort among the GOP to pursue the perceived enemies of President Donald Trump.

Rep. Jim Jordan, the committee chair, charged in a letter to Smith that his prosecutions of Trump were “partisan and politically motivated.” Smith has come under particular scrutiny on Capitol Hill, especially after the Senate Judiciary Committee said last week that his investigation had included an FBI analysis of phone records for more than half a dozen Republican lawmakers from the week of Jan. 6, 2021.

Related Articles

Trump honoring Charlie Kirk with Presidential Medal of Freedom on what would be his 32nd birthday

Trump and budget chief Vought are making this a government shutdown unlike any other

Some airports refuse to play Noem video on shutdown impact, saying it’s political

Judge accuses Homeland Security of bullying states into accepting conditions to get FEMA money

Trump threatens to pull support for Argentina if its politics don’t align with US

Smith brought two cases against Trump, one accusing him of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and the other of hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. Both were brought in 2023, well over a year before the 2024 presidential election, and indictments in the two cases cited what Smith and his team described as clear violations of well-established federal law. Former Attorney General Merrick Garland, who named Smith as special counsel in November 2022, has repeatedly said politics played no part in the handling of the cases.

Smith abandoned the criminal cases against Trump after he won the presidential election last year. Trump’s return to the White House precluded the federal prosecutions, as well as paved the way for Republicans to go after Trump’s political and legal opponents.

Jordan wrote to Smith: “Your testimony is necessary to understand the full extent to which the Biden-Harris Justice Department weaponized federal law enforcement.”

In just the last weeks, the Trump administration has pursued criminal charges against both James Comey, the former FBI director, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who for years investigated and sued Trump.

The House Judiciary Committee has been looking into Smith’s actions as special counsel since the start of the year. Jordan said that it had interviewed two other members of Smith’s prosecutorial team, but they had declined to answer many questions, citing the Fifth Amendment.

An attorney for Smith did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the House Judiciary Committee’s interview request.

“Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans are released from prison. Too many step back into society with nowhere to go.”

A bedroom in a supportive housing apartment. (Adi Talwar/City Limits)

“Having that haven, a roof over your head—it is the most important thing in the world.” 

That’s how Richard, the first resident of the Fulton Community Reentry Center in the Bronx, described what it felt like to walk through our doors after leaving prison. Recently, Fulton reached a significant milestone: more than 75 formerly incarcerated men have moved into permanent homes and reintegrated with society as productive community members.

At a moment when cities across the country are struggling with both the housing crisis and the challenge of supporting people returning home from prison, Fulton’s experience offers lessons that extend far beyond New York.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of Americans are released from prison. Too many step back into society with nowhere to go. National research shows that people leaving incarceration are nearly 10 times more likely to experience homelessness than the general population.

The first weeks are perilous: people face unemployment, strict housing restrictions, and a maze of legal barriers, all while trying to reconnect with health care.  Without a job or a lease, stability can slip out of reach, elevating the risk of depression or substance use. For decades, our systems have asked people to rebuild their lives without foundational supports that come with strong community ties.

Fulton takes a new approach. Across from Crotona Park in the South Bronx, what was once a prison has been turned over by the state to a nonprofit and reimagined as a 140-bed community space for formerly incarcerated men through vital city investments in creating high-quality infrastructure and a program that recognizes the unique needs of this population.

Instead of just offering a bed, Fulton provides intensive case management, workforce training, health care coordination, trauma-informed counseling, family reunification support, and even recreational activities. The philosophy is simple yet powerful: people coming home are neighbors and contributors, not problems to manage; with stability and support, they can thrive.

As a community-based provider, Osborne Association sees firsthand the difference this makes. Many of our staff were formerly incarcerated themselves. They don’t just offer advice; they serve as living proof that a better future is possible. Residents find guidance and encouragement from people who know precisely what the first days of freedom feel like. That peer support, layered with professional services, helps turn a precarious transition into a genuine new beginning.

From the city’s perspective, Fulton also shows how targeted reentry housing can ease pressure on the shelter system and improve public safety. Every day, the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) delivers on the city’s legal and moral mandate to provide shelter to anyone in need, regardless of background or immigration status.

DHS is often the system of last resort for vulnerable New Yorkers who have been failed by every level of the safety net. As other levels of government have stepped away from investing in reintegration support for New Yorkers leaving the prison system, Fulton reflects the city and agency’s ongoing commitment to investing in these supports to address the prison-to-shelter pipeline. 

The outcomes speak for themselves. More than 75 men have left Fulton and moved into permanent housing since we opened our doors. Most found a home within five months; in some cases, it happened in less than 30 days. Behind those numbers are real lives: men reconnecting with their families, finding employment, managing their health, and establishing a sense of stability. Each successful transition strengthens the neighborhoods they return to. Safer communities, stronger families, and lower public costs all flow from one thing: stable housing at the right time.

Skeptics sometimes ask why we shouldn’t simply distribute more vouchers and skip transitional housing altogether. Permanent housing is, of course, the goal we all share. However, experience tells us that people coming out of prison often need a bridge. Without support, too many bounce from unstable and temporary housing situations to the streets, and some end up back inside. Transitional housing like Fulton provides that breathing room—a roof, stability, and the chance to prepare for independence—making permanent housing much more sustainable.

This success was only possible because of public-private partnership. Osborne Association, DHS, and Trinity Church Wall Street* came together to turn a place of confinement into a place of opportunity. That collaboration maximized resources and built something that none of us could have done alone. Providers bring expertise and trust; the city invests in meaningful shelter programs and city agencies connect programs to larger housing systems; philanthropy helps spark innovation. Each piece matters.

The lessons here are national. Other cities and states can build on this model. Create reentry housing tailored to local populations. Link it directly to rental vouchers and permanent housing pathways. Build staffing pipelines that lift leaders with lived experience. And write reentry housing into housing plans and criminal justice reforms with dedicated capital and operating funds so that returning from prison is understood as a process, not a sudden cliff.

Richard’s words still ring in our ears: a roof over your head is everything. Fulton shows that with stability and dignity, people coming home do more than survive—they succeed. The choice for communities across America is stark but simple: continue policies that make it nearly impossible for people to rebuild stable lives, or prioritize housing as the cornerstone of justice and real second chances.

Molly Wasow Park is the commissioner of the New York City Department of Social Services. Jonathan Monsalve is president and CEO of the Osborne Association, a nonprofit organization servicing individuals, families, and communities impacted by the criminal legal system. 

*Trinity Church Wall Street is among City Limits’ funders.

The post Opinion: What Happens When Reentry Starts with Housing? appeared first on City Limits.