ST.“We Will Not Let Men Steal Women’s Trophies”: Trump’s Fierce Pledge to Block Trans Athletes at Olympic 2028
LOS ANGELES – In a bombshell move that has ignited both outrage and support, former President Donald J. Trump has declared an uncompromising stance: “We will not let men steal trophies from women at the 2028 Olympics.”
On August 5, 2025, Trump signed an executive order creating a White House Task Force to oversee the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics. CBS News+2PBS+2 The stated mission: coordinate federal support for security, visa processing, logistics, and credentialing for athletes, media, and officials. The White House+2PBS+2 Trump will chair the task force himself, with Vice President J.D. Vance serving as vice-chair. The White House+2CBS News+2
But what has captured global attention is his vow to implement “extremely rigorous” gender checks, threatening to bar transgender women from competing in women’s events. In his words: “If they don’t pass, they will not compete.” CBS News+2ABC7 Los Angeles+2
This target has a name: Executive Order 14201, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which seeks to ban transgender women from women’s sports at all levels. The White House+3Wikipedia+3The White House+3 Under the order, federal funding could be revoked from any education institution that allows transgender women to compete in female sports, citing violations of Title IX. CBS News+3Wikipedia+3The White House+3 The order also directs visa authorities to scrutinize transgender athletes entering the U.S. for women’s competition. politico.com+2Wikipedia+2
In his remarks, Trump invoked a sense of urgency and a mission of justice: “No men will be allowed to take women’s cups. The integrity of women’s sport is at stake.” ABC7 Los Angeles+2CBS News+2 When he praised the U.S. Olympic Committee’s decision to bar transgender women, he complained at the lack of applause. Them+2ABC7 Los Angeles+2
The backlash was swift. Critics accuse him of weaponizing gender prejudice and ignoring human rights. Human rights groups warn that the move threatens decades of progress for transgender, intersex, and nonbinary individuals. Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2 Meanwhile, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) has tried to tread carefully — reiterating that it has not yet adopted a formal policy on transgender eligibility. The Guardian+2CBS News+2
On the international front, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) faces growing pressure to set global standards. IOC presidential candidate Juan Antonio Samaranch has pledged to establish a universal rule on transgender athlete participation by early 2026, in part to blunt escalation. Reuters
For many athletes, the announcement feels like a threatening intrusion into what should be fair competition. Some female athletes see it as a defense of biological fairness — others view it as discriminatory overreach that ignores the complexities of gender identity and science.
At stake is more than medals. This is about power, identity, and who gets to define fairness in sport. Eight years out, the 2028 Olympics may already be shadowed by one of the most contentious battles in sports history.
