ISTANBUL
The Trump administration is rolling out a $500 million initiative to bolster US airspace security against drones ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup, the country’s 250th anniversary, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, reported American media.
The program, directed by White House FIFA World Cup 2026 Task Force head Andrew Giuliani, will help state and local authorities detect and disable unauthorized drones over stadiums and other major venues, according to a report on Monday.
“Everybody from the governors to different commissioners of the police in these different cities to the stadium chief security officer say that this is something that they need in order to protect the [World Cup] sites,” Giuliani told POLITICO.
'Potential for both good and ill'
The funding comes from the Department of Homeland Security’s allocation under the One Big Beautiful Bill passed in July, reflecting heightened concerns over threats from both malicious actors and careless operators.
“Drones are a disruptive technology. They have an amazing potential for both good and ill. We will increase the enforcement of current laws to deter two types of individuals: evildoers and idiots — the clueless and the careless,” Seb Gorka, National Security Council counterterrorism director, was quoted by POLITICO as saying.
FIFA’s Chief Safety and Security Officer G.B. Jones also stressed the stakes.
“DHS, FBI, the FAA, and the state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement partners who will partner with them during the FIFA World Cup matches must be equipped with the resources and legal frameworks necessary to mitigate drone threats across all venues where airspace security risks are identified,” he said.
The initiative also aims to coordinate drone security with co-hosts Canada and Mexico, while addressing gaps in US law that currently limit interception authority to federal agencies.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem highlighted the broader implications: drones “are being used to smuggle deadly drugs, target our infrastructure and spy on US defenses.”