United States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports.
“From now on, women’s sports will be only for women. With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over,” Trump said on Wednesday before he signed the order at the White House, surrounded by dozens of children and female athletes.
Top Republicans including US House Speaker Mike Johnson and firebrand Congresswoman, Marjorie Green, were among those in the audience to watch the signing ceremony.
“We will defend the proud tradition of female athletes, and we will not allow men to beat up, injure and cheat our women and our girls,” Trump added to applause and cheers.
Trump’s order allows US government agencies to deny funds to schools that would enable transgender athletes to compete on women’s teams.
“If you let men take over women’s sports teams or invade your locker rooms, you will be investigated, and risk your federal funding,” Trump said.
Trump also said he would now push the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to change its rules on transgender athletes before the 2028 Los Angeles games.
He said he had ordered Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “make it clear” to the IOC that “we want them to change everything having to do with the Olympics and having to do with this ridiculous subject.”
Trump added that he had directed Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem to deny visa applications “made by men attempting to fraudulently enter the United States while identifying themselves as women athletes to try and get into the Games.”
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