WASHINGTON, USA — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday barring transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.
This is Trump administration’s latest move to enforce policies restricting transgender participation in public life.
Titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” the order instructs federal agencies to enforce compliance with Title IX— the law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education— in alignment with the administration’s stance that gender is determined at birth.
The order also gives federal authorities broad discretion to penalize institutions that do not comply.
“With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over,” Trump declared during a signing ceremony in the East Room, where he was joined by Republican lawmakers and former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, a vocal advocate for banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s divisions.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the order “upholds the promise of Title IX” and mandates “immediate action, including enforcement measures, against schools and athletic associations” that fail to maintain single-sex sports and facilities.
Federal Enforcement and Potential Consequences
Under the new directive, the Department of Education is authorized to investigate and penalize schools that allow transgender athletes to compete.
Institutions found in violation could face a loss of federal funding.
Trump’s administration has already launched inquiries into gender-inclusive policies in schools.
This week, the Department of Education opened an investigation into Denver public schools for replacing a girls’ bathroom with an all-gender facility while leaving a boys’ bathroom unchanged.
Critics argue that Trump’s push could face legal and logistical hurdles, particularly regarding enforcement at the collegiate level.
NCAA President Charlie Baker said the governing body’s Board of Governors was reviewing the order and would determine whether policy adjustments were necessary.
The executive order follows a lawsuit filed on Tuesday by three former teammates of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas against the NCAA, Ivy League, Harvard, and the University of Pennsylvania.
The suit alleges that the organizations violated Title IX by allowing Thomas to compete and accuses them of acting in “bad faith.”
Olympic Warning and International Fallout
Trump also issued a warning to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
He announced that he had directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to communicate the administration’s stance on transgender athletes to the IOC.
“America categorically rejects transgender lunacy,” Trump said.
“We want them to change everything having to do with the Olympics and having to do with this absolutely ridiculous subject.”
The IOC has largely left decisions on transgender participation to individual sports federations.
However, Trump’s directive could intensify the debate, especially as the organization prepares for a leadership transition in March.
Among the candidates to replace outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach is former track star Sebastian Coe, a known advocate for restricting female sports to cisgender women.
Trump also stated that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would deny visa applications for “men attempting to fraudulently enter the United States while identifying themselves as women athletes to try and get into the Games.”
The 2028 Olympic organizing committee has not responded to Trump’s announcement.
Legal Challenges and Advocacy Backlash
The order has drawn immediate condemnation from transgender rights organizations and civil rights groups, who argue that it violates federal anti-discrimination laws.
“Contrary to what the president wants you to believe, trans students do not pose threats to sports, schools, or this country, and they deserve the same opportunities as their peers to learn, play, and grow up in safe environments,” said Fatima Goss Graves, president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center.
GLAAD, a prominent LGBTQ+ advocacy group, called the order a “direct attack on transgender youth” and signaled its intention to support legal challenges against it.
Trump’s administration has already faced multiple lawsuits over policies targeting transgender people, including restrictions on gender-affirming care, military service, and passport recognition.
Legal experts suggest that the new executive order could face similar challenges in court, particularly regarding whether the federal government has the authority to dictate athletic policies at the collegiate and international levels.
Despite potential legal hurdles, Trump’s order represents a significant escalation in his administration’s stance on gender policies, setting the stage for further battles over transgender rights in education, athletics, and beyond.
