US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order barring trans women from competing in female sports, a move that could impact schools and professional competitions nationwide.
Entitled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” the order imposes penalties on institutions that fail to comply.
“From now on, women’s sports will be only for women,” Trump stated before signing the order on Wednesday, which coincided with National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
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“We’ve gotten the woke lunacy out of our military, and now we’re getting it out of women’s sports,” he said, referring to recent actions taken by his administration to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from the armed forces.
Trump also announced his administration would block transgender athletes from competing in international events hosted by the US, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the World Cup.
“In Los Angeles in 2028, my administration will not stand by and watch men beat and batter female athletes. We’re not going to let it happen,” Trump said. “Just to make sure, I’m also directing our secretary of homeland security to deny any and all visa applications made by men attempting to fraudulently enter the US while identifying as women athletes.”
Surrounded by women and young female athletes, Trump declared, “The war on women’s sports is over.”
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The participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports has sparked debate, with some arguing it threatens the fairness of female competitions. Others contend that trans athletes should be included based on gender identity rather than assigned sex at birth.
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris saw Algerian boxer Imane Khelif and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting at the center of controversy about gender verification in sports, while the International Olympic Committee defended their participation.
In 2022, transgender swimmer Lia Thomas won the NCAA 500-yard freestyle, sparking debates on fairness.
In 2023, World Athletics banned transgender women who had undergone male puberty from competing in female world-ranking competitions. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe stated the ruling prioritized fairness for female athletes.
Trump’s executive order is part of a broader effort by his administration targeting transgender individuals, including efforts to roll back protections and limit gender-affirming care. On his first day in office, Trump signed an order recognizing only two genders—male and female.
LGBT advocates and civil rights groups argue the most recent move negatively impacts transgender youth and could violate anti-discrimination laws.
Legal challenges are expected. Some of Trump’s previous directives have been blocked by federal judges. The latest order’s validity may depend on the interpretation of Title IX, a civil rights statute prohibiting sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision, stating that it “upholds the promise of Title IX.”