Kevin Egwu
In a significant policy move, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, marking yet another initiative targeting transgender individuals since his return to office.
“From now on, women’s sports will be only for women. With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over,” Trump declared at the White House, flanked by female athletes and children. The event drew top Republican figures, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who applauded the decision.
Trump emphasized the need to protect female athletes, stating, “We will defend the proud tradition of female sports, and we will not allow men to beat up, injure, and cheat our women and our girls.”
The executive order directs federal agencies to withhold funding from schools that permit transgender athletes to compete in women’s divisions. “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 warned.
Additionally, Trump announced plans to lobby the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to amend its transgender athlete policies ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. He instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to pressure the IOC into revising its guidelines, calling the current regulations “ridiculous.”
Furthermore, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has been directed to deny visa applications for individuals “fraudulently identifying as women athletes” to compete in the Olympics.
This executive order aligns with a broader conservative push to curtail transgender rights. Since his inauguration, Trump has signed multiple orders reinforcing binary gender policies, including eliminating a third-gender option in government documentation, restricting transgender military service, and prohibiting gender transition procedures for individuals under 19.
Throughout the 2024 campaign, Trump leveraged transgender issues as a rallying point against his Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris. One of his campaign’s most repeated slogans was, “Kamala Harris is for they/them. President Trump is for you,” highlighting his opposition to progressive gender policies.
His latest move follows a bill passed by the Republican-led House of Representatives in January, which significantly restricts transgender participation in women’s and girls’ sports. The debate continues to ignite tensions as conservatives argue for fairness in women’s athletics while transgender advocates warn of discrimination and exclusion.
