WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, declaring, “From now on, women’s sports will be only for women.”
Speaking at the White House alongside female athletes and children, Trump announced, “With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over.” The signing ceremony was attended by top Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Trump emphasized his commitment to protecting female athletes, stating, “We will defend the proud tradition of women’s sports, and we will not allow men to beat up, injure, and cheat our women and girls,” drawing applause from the audience.
Federal Agencies to Enforce Title IX Based on Birth Sex
The executive order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” directs federal agencies to interpret Title IX— the landmark civil rights law for gender equality in education—according to biological sex at birth. It grants broad authority to agencies to withhold funding from schools that allow 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 warned.
Pressure on International Olympic Committee
Trump also vowed to push the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to revise its policies on transgender athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games. He said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had been instructed to press the IOC for changes, calling the current regulations “absolutely ridiculous.”
Additionally, Trump announced that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would deny visas to individuals he claimed falsely identify as female athletes in order to compete in U.S. sporting events, including the Olympics.
White House: Order Reinforces Title IX Protections
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the move, stating that it “upholds the promise of Title IX” and mandates “immediate enforcement actions” against schools and athletic associations that fail to provide single-sex sports and locker rooms for women.
