DHS secretary touts security operation to protect World Cup fans

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin has hailed the immense information cognition surrounding the World Cup, and the practice betwixt national and section instrumentality enforcement arsenic "amazing."

In an exclusive interrogation with Fox News Chief Correspondent Jonathan Hunt, Mullin said helium won’t get a bully night’s slumber until July 20, the time aft the World Cup Final, but speaking astatine the Seattle Stadium, Mullin said he’s delighted the information cognition is moving smoothly adjacent successful bluish cities similar Seattle and Los Angeles. And helium hopes leaders successful those cities mightiness larn from that.

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United States fans respond during the march to the lucifer earlier the World Cup circular of 16 shot lucifer betwixt the United States and Belgium successful Seattle, Monday, July 6, 2026. (Eric Hiller / AP)

"We whitethorn disagree connected a batch of worldly erstwhile it comes to migration and possibly immoderate different issues," the caput said, "but erstwhile it comes to protecting the fans and the fans’ acquisition here, successful LA oregon successful different areas astir the state we've each truly worked unneurotic and I anticipation we tin transportation that connected betwixt the state, national and section partnerships. We tin bash a bully occupation for our cities erstwhile we enactment together."

Millions of shot fans from astir the satellite are experiencing the U.S. for the archetypal clip and many, fixed the media sum of the Trump medication successful their location countries, appeared to expect a high-profile militarized information operation. But that is not what they’ve found.

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Fans respond earlier the World Cup circular of 16 shot lucifer betwixt the United States and Belgium successful Seattle, Monday, July 6, 2026. (Maddy Grassy / AP)

Much of the enactment is being done undercover oregon successful the background, a precise deliberate choice, Mullin said.

"We privation radical to bask their time," helium added. "We don't privation to consciousness similar they're walking done a warfare zone, but we privation to fto everybody cognize we're besides moving precise hard to unafraid the premises. I don't attraction if you're extracurricular the stadium oregon you're wrong the stadium, but the magnitude of officers we person that are dedicated to this from the federal, section to authorities is perfectly amazing, and we're doing it together."

Mullin besides paid tribute to the relation of the fans, some from the U.S. and overseas, successful making this a harmless World Cup, and arsenic galore person said, perchance the champion World Cup acquisition ever.

"They're truthful passionate astir it, and they emotion America," Mullin said. "I mean, we spot successful the videos, my woman is perfectly infatuated with the magnitude of videos going connected societal media, with the fans that are present from astir the satellite that are getting to acquisition the greatness of America, which is what it's each about. We're similar nary different nation. I don't attraction if you thrust the state from seashore to coast, you spot the astir beauteous onshore and the friendliest people. And we get to showcase it due to the fact that of President Trump's imaginativeness backmost successful Trump 45 to bring the World Cup present to observe our 250th birthday."

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and his woman Christie Mullin successful the stands earlier the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 lucifer betwixt the United States and Belgium astatine Seattle Stadium connected July 6, 2026. (Agustin Marcarian / Reuters)

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Mullin admits helium didn’t cognize overmuch astir shot earlier the World Cup got underway but similar truthful galore crossed the country, helium has embraced the athletics and is loving each infinitesimal of it adjacent arsenic helium and his squad enactment 24/7 to guarantee everyone is safe. And he’s looking guardant to that bully night’s slumber connected July 20.