President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order creating a federal task force to oversee preparations for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, placing himself at the helm of an effort that could expand his administration’s influence over the global sporting event.
The task force, chaired by Trump with Vice President JD Vance as vice-chair, is designed to coordinate with federal agencies to “ensure the Games are safe, seamless and historically successful.” Several senior administration officials will serve as members.
“We’ll do anything necessary to keep the Olympics safe,” Trump said during a White House ceremony, raising the possibility of deploying the National Guard or military to secure the event.
Trump’s announcement comes against a backdrop of friction with California officials. In June, he unilaterally ordered the deployment of the California National Guard to Los Angeles to quell protests over federal immigration raids, a move made over the objections of Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
On Tuesday, Trump renewed his feud with Bass, calling her “not very competent” and criticizing her handling of wildfires that struck the city in January.
Despite the political tension, Casey Wasserman, chairman of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee, joined Trump for the announcement and expressed gratitude.
“You’ve been supportive and helpful every step of the way. And we wouldn’t be here without you,” Wasserman said, presenting Trump with examples of gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1984 Los Angeles Games.
Wasserman also invited the president to participate in the Olympic torch relay, which will travel through all 50 states for the first time. Trump previously carried the Olympic flame in New York ahead of the Athens Games in 2004.
The 2028 Olympics will coincide with Trump’s second term and follow the 2026 FIFA World Cup, another major international event hosted by the United States. Trump’s comments Tuesday suggested he intends to use federal authority to influence both.
Continuing his criticism of transgender athletes, Trump declared that “the United States will not let men steal trophies from women at the 2028 Olympics,” and said there would be “a very, very strong form of testing” to verify athletes’ eligibility.
Los Angeles was awarded the 2028 Games in September 2017 during Trump’s first term. The new task force is expected to coordinate federal security, infrastructure, and logistical support in the lead-up to the Games, though its scope could spark further disputes with state and local officials.
Written By Rodney Mbua
