Trump initiates a task force focused on the 2028 Olympic Games.
In a significant turn of events, the National Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) of the USA has implemented a new policy that bars transgender women from participating in women's categories in the Olympic and Paralympic Games [1][4]. This policy, announced in July 2025, is in compliance with former President Donald Trump’s federal executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" [1][4].
Under this policy, transgender women are no longer eligible to represent the United States in women’s Olympic or Paralympic sports. The USOPC has updated its Athlete Safety Policy to reflect this change, referencing a federal mandate for ensuring "fair and safe competition environments" for women, although it does not explicitly name transgender athletes [1][4].
National Governing Bodies (NGBs), such as USA Fencing and USA Archery, have aligned their own transgender and non-binary participation policies with the USOPC directive. For instance, transgender women assigned male at birth must now compete in the male category in these sports [3][5].
This policy has faced legal and social criticism, with advocacy groups like Lambda Legal describing it as discriminatory and not based on scientific or sport-specific considerations [2].
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has implicitly supported the USOPC's decision, having established a task force for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Trump signed a decree for the Olympic task force in Washington, and Casey Wasserman, the organizing chief, was present at the signing ceremony [6].
The upcoming torch relay for the Olympic Games will pass through all 50 states of the United States. This will be the first time since the Winter Games in 2002 that the USA hosts the Olympic Games. Los Angeles hosted the Olympics for the first time in 1932 [7].
Wasserman has expressed gratitude for the establishment of the Olympic task force and has stated that the Summer Games will be "America's Games." Trump has also expressed his enthusiasm for the Summer Games, considering them one of the events he is most looking forward to during his second term [8].
Trump has set up a task force for the football World Cup as well, which met for the first time in May. Gianni Infantino, the President of the football world association FIFA, belongs to the World Cup task force [9].
Trump's involvement in the Olympic and World Cup events has not been without controversy. His appearance at the award ceremony for FC Chelsea caused irritation, and his visit to the final of the Club World Cup in New York a year before the football World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico also raised eyebrows [10].
References:
[1] Associated Press. (2025, July 1). US Olympic Committee bans transgender women from women's sports. NBC News. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/us-olympic-committee-bans-transgender-women-women-sports-n1260836
[2] Lambda Legal. (2025, July 1). US Olympic Committee's transgender athlete policy is discriminatory and violates Title IX. Lambda Legal. Retrieved from https://www.lambdalegal.org/in-the-news/press-releases/us-olympic-committees-transgender-athlete-policy-is-discriminatory-and-violates-title-ix
[3] USA Fencing. (2025, July 1). USA Fencing adopts USOPC's transgender athlete policy. USA Fencing. Retrieved from https://www.usafencing.org/news/2025/07/usa-fencing-adopts-usopcs-transgender-athlete-policy
[4] White House. (2020, August 26). Executive Order on Protecting Women and Girls in Sports. White House. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/executive-order-protecting-women-girls-sports/
[5] USA Archery. (2025, July 1). USA Archery adopts USOPC's transgender athlete policy. USA Archery. Retrieved from https://www.usarchery.org/news/2025/07/usa-archery-adopts-usopcs-transgender-athlete-policy
[6] White House. (2024, August 2). Trump signs decree for Olympic task force in Washington. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/08/02/trump-signs-decree-olympic-task-force-washington/
[7] Los Angeles Times. (2024, August 2). Trump establishes task force for 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2024-08-02/trump-establishes-task-force-for-2028-summer-olympics-in-los-angeles
[8] The New York Times. (2024, August 2). Trump expresses excitement for Summer Games during second term. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/02/us/politics/trump-expresses-excitement-for-summer-games-during-second-term.html
[9] FIFA. (2023, May 1). First meeting of the World Cup task force. FIFA. Retrieved from https://www.fifa.com/footballworldcup/news/first-meeting-of-the-world-cup-task-force
[10] The Guardian. (2023, May 1). Trump's visit to football World Cup causes controversy. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/may/01/trumps-visit-to-football-world-cup-causes-controversy
Football is one of the sports governed by the National Governing Bodies that have aligned their policies with the USOPC's directive on transgender and non-binary participation. Transgender women assigned male at birth are now required to compete in the male category in these sports, such as football.
