US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to ban transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. “From now on women’s sports will be only for women,” Trump said before signing the order at the White House, where he was joined by children and female athletes. “With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over.”
Top Republicans, including US House speaker Mike Johnson and Congresswoman Marjorie Green, attended the signing ceremony. Trump said, “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,” which was met with applause.
The order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” gives federal agencies wide latitude to ensure entities that receive federal funding abide by Title IX in alignment with the Trump administration’s view, which interprets “sex” as the gender someone was assigned at birth.
The order allows US government agencies to cut funding to schools that permit 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 push the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to change its rules on transgender athletes before the 2028 Los Angeles Games. He stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been directed to tell the IOC, “We want them to change everything having to do with the Olympics and having to do with this absolutely ridiculous subject.”
Additionally, Trump said he had ordered homeland security chief Kristi Noem to deny visas to individuals who, according to him, falsely identify as women athletes to enter the US for the Games.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the order “upholds the promise of Title IX” and will mandate “immediate action, including enforcement actions” against schools and athletic associations that do not provide single-sex sports and locker rooms for women.
The order was issued on National Girls and Women in Sports Day and is the latest in a series of executive actions by the Republican president focusing on transgender issues.
Policy changes
Since returning to office, Trump has signed several orders related to gender identity. At his inauguration, he announced that US government policy would only recognize two genders, male and female, ending the option of a third gender in some settings.
Shortly after, he signed an order removing what he called “transgender ideology” from the military, effectively banning transgender troops. Another order restricted gender transition procedures for individuals under 19.
During the 2024 election campaign, Trump frequently criticized Democrats on transgender rights. He used the phrase, “Kamala Harris is for they/them. President Trump is for you,” referring to her support for transgender rights. He also brought up her previous support for gender reassignment procedures for prisoners.
The executive order follows a bill passed in January by the Republican-led House of Representatives that restricted transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports.
As transgender people have gained more visibility in the US, discussions about gender and fairness in sports have increased. Many conservatives have focused on this issue, emphasizing protections for women’s sports.
