Pep Guardiola criticises U.S. President Donald Trump over ICE killings as Man City boss opens up on decision to speak out on political issues

Guardiola has issued a fierce condemnation of the recent actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in the United States, directly challenging the policies under Trump. Speaking with visible emotion, the Catalan coach referenced the shocking deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse, who were killed during ICE operations.

Guardiola drew a sharp contrast between the values of care and the brutality of the incident, questioning how such violence could be justified by any administration. “Look what happened in the United States of America, Renee Good and [intensive care nurse] Alex Pretti have been killed,” Guardiola stated. “Imagine the NHS, five, six people around him, go on the grass and 10 shots. Tell me how you can defend that?”

The City boss, who has often been reluctant to engage in political debate during his tenure in England, suggested that the visibility of these injustices has made silence impossible. “Today we can see it, before we could not see it. It hurts me,” he added. “If it was the opposite side, it would hurt me. I'm sorry, I will stand up, always I will be there. Always. Completely kill thousands of innocent people? It hurts me. It's no more complicated than that.”

Broadening his scope beyond the United States, Guardiola delivered a powerful monologue on the state of global conflict, specifically describing the situation in Gaza as a "genocide". He expressed deep frustration that despite the prevalence of information and live footage of suffering, the world often chooses to look away.

"Never, ever in the history of humanity have we had the information in front of our eyes watching more clearly than now - genocide in Palestine, what happened in Ukraine, what happened in Russia, what happened all around the world - in Sudan, everywhere,” he said.

"What happened in front of us? Do you want to see it? It's our problems as human beings. It's our problems."

For Guardiola, the issue transcends political allegiance and strikes at the core of basic humanity. He spoke of the visceral pain he feels when viewing images of families destroyed by war. "I cannot imagine how anybody cannot feel that, when you see the images every single day, the fathers, mothers, kids, having what happened, their lives being destroyed and the people cannot feel a little bit of being attached? I'm sorry, I cannot feel it."

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When asked by The Athletic why he felt compelled to speak out now, Guardiola turned the spotlight back onto the media room. He expressed surprise and appreciation that a journalist had finally broached the subject, implying a culture of silence exists within football reporting regarding geopolitical issues.

"I appreciate it because it's the first time in 10 years that one journalist asks me about that,” Guardiola noted. “It looks like you [the media] are not allowed to do it for your work, I don't know. But there is somebody who sees the images from all around the world, the wars, who is not affected? It's not a question about right or wrong.”

The City manager also addressed the domestic issue of migration, following a report from BBC News that over 900 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats in January alone. In a climate where immigration rhetoric is increasingly hostile, Guardiola urged for a humanitarian approach that prioritises saving lives over political point-scoring.

"The people who have to do that, run away from their countries, go in the sea and then go on a boat to get rescued - don't ask if he is right or wrong, rescue him. It is about a human being," he insisted.

He concluded with a plea for empathy, suggesting that the preservation of life must be the ultimate baseline for society. "After we can agree, criticise but everyone is right, everyone has an idea and you have to express it. People are dying, you have to help him. Protecting the human being and human life is the only thing we have."