U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, declaring an end to what he called a “war on women’s sports.”
“From now on, women’s sports will be only for women,” Trump said during a White House signing ceremony on Wednesday, surrounded by female athletes and young supporters.
The order grants federal agencies the authority to withhold funding from schools that allow transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports. “If you let men take over women’s teams or invade locker rooms, you will be investigated and risk losing federal funding,” Trump stated.
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Top Republican figures, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, attended the event in support of the directive.
Trump also signaled his intent to push for broader international changes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to urge the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to revise its policies on transgender participation.
Additionally, he announced a directive for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to restrict visa applications from individuals who, in his words, are “fraudulently identifying as female athletes” to compete in international events.