Trump says 2028 Olympic athletes will be tested to prevent transgender competitors

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President Donald Trump said athletes hoping to compete in the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles will be tested to prevent transgender participants in women's sports such as boxing.

At a news conference Aug. 5 focused on the Olympics, Trump responded to a question from a reporter who asked about transgender athletes and whether the Justice Department would consider pressing charges against trans women who compete in boxing, specifically.

"Would your administration consider genetic testing so that these people can prove that they're actually women competing?" the reporter asked.

Trump said he'd "have to ask" Attorney General Pam Bondi about about pursuing charges.

"But there will be a very, very strong form of testing, and if the test doesn't come out appropriately, they won't be in the Olympics," Trump said.

Trump signed an executive order in February aimed at barring transgender student athletes from participating in women's sports. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee later changed its rules to prevent participation by transgender women, citing Trump's executive order.

Committee president Gene Sykes and CEO Sarah Hirshland sent a letter to the Olympic community saying the change came after "a series of respectful and constructive conversations with federal officials" after the executive order.

On Aug. 4, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued policy guidance preventing trans women from receiving “extraordinary ability” visas to compete in women's sports.

Trump's comments about testing athletes came after he signed an executive order to create a White House Olympics task force to handle security and other issues related to the 2028 games.

The games are expected to draw 11,000 Olympic and 4,500 Paralympic athletes.

Contributing: Nancy Armour, Paste BN; Reuters