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Trump Signs Executive Order on Women’s Sports Participation
President Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order titled “No Men in Women’s Sports” in a move aimed at restricting the participation of transgender women in women’s athletic events. This development was confirmed by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt during a briefing on Wednesday.
During the briefing, Leavitt was queried about the implications of this order on the upcoming 2028 Summer Olympics set to be held in Los Angeles. She emphasized that Trump anticipates both the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the NCAA to adhere to the new directive.
“He does expect the Olympic committee and the NCAA to no longer allow men to compete in women’s sports,” Leavitt stated. “With the signing of this order, the president is initiating a public pressure campaign on these organizations to act in the best interest of women and girls.”
This executive order reflects a growing national conversation around gender and athletics. Leavitt noted that the stance taken by Trump aligns with a significant portion of public opinion, as several prominent female athletes have already vocalized their concerns regarding fairness in sports. “They deserve to have their voices heard, and the president is prioritizing this issue at the highest level,” she added.
Currently, the U.S. Olympic team has not included any transgender women, although it has seen the participation of other gender-diverse athletes, such as Laurel Hubbard, who competed in weightlifting for New Zealand. Notably, Canadian soccer player Quinn, who identifies as nonbinary, has also raised discussions about inclusion in sports.
The topic of gender in sports received heightened attention during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where two boxers’ participation in the women’s division sparked debate. The International Olympic Committee maintained that both athletes met the criteria for competing within female weight classes.
Trump’s focus on safeguarding women’s sports was a pivotal issue in his recent presidential campaign against former Vice President Kamala Harris. In a related judicial development earlier this year, a federal judge halted the Biden administration’s initiative to redefine sex under Title IX to include “gender identity.” Following this, Trump’s Department of Education provided guidance asserting that Title IX protections would be interpreted based on biological sex.
In December, Trump explicitly criticized what he termed “transgender lunacy,” indicating a firm stance on the issue moving forward. Following the announcement of the executive order, Fox News Digital reached out to the IOC, USOPC, and NCAA for their responses.
NCAA president Charlie Baker previously discussed the complexities of transgender inclusion in collegiate athletics during his testimony to Congress in December. “We’re a national governing body and we follow federal law,” he noted, emphasizing the need for clear federal guidelines on this matter.
As the sports community continues to navigate the challenging intersection of gender identity and competitive fairness, Trump’s executive order is expected to further ignite discussions in the lead-up to significant sporting events, including the Winter Olympics and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
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