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Trump Signs Executive Order Banning Transgender Athletes from Women’s Sports, Citing Fairness and Protection
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports, citing the need to protect female athletes. The order empowers federal agencies to withhold funding from schools that allow transgender participation in women’s sports and includes directives to pressure the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to revise its policies before the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Additionally, Homeland Security has been instructed to deny visas to individuals attempting to compete under a gender identity different from their birth sex. This move is part of a broader set of policies under Trump’s administration that roll back transgender rights, aligning with conservative efforts to regulate gender policies in sports and other sectors.
WASHINGTON, United States – U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, marking his latest policy targeting transgender individuals since returning to office.
Speaking at the White House, Trump declared that "women's sports will be only for women," emphasizing that the move aims to protect female athletes. The signing ceremony was attended by Republican leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
The executive order grants federal agencies the authority to withhold funding from schools that allow transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports. Trump also signaled his intent to pressure the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to revise its policies ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Additionally, he directed Homeland Security to deny visas to individuals attempting to compete under a gender identity different from their birth sex.
Since his inauguration, Trump has enacted a series of policies reversing transgender rights, including limiting gender recognition to male and female, banning transgender troops in the military, and restricting medical transition procedures for minors. His administration’s stance aligns with a broader conservative push to regulate gender-related policies, particularly in sports.
During his 2024 campaign, Trump frequently criticized Democratic rival Kamala Harris’s support for transgender rights, using slogans such as “Kamala Harris is for they/them. President Trump is for you.” His latest order follows a Republican-led House bill in January restricting transgender athletes in women’s sports, further fueling the ongoing national debate over gender identity and athletics.
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