United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday barring transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports, reinforcing his administration’s interpretation of Title IX.
The order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” grants federal agencies the authority to enforce Title IX based on sex assigned at birth. Schools and athletic organizations receiving federal funding must comply or risk losing financial support.
At the signing ceremony in the White House’s East Room, Trump declared, “With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over.” He was joined by lawmakers and female athletes, including former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines, a vocal advocate of the ban.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the decision, stating that the order “honors the promise of Title IX” and will lead to “immediate enforcement actions” against institutions that allow transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports or access women’s locker rooms.
The move, which coincided with National Girls and Women in Sports Day, is the latest in a series of actions by Trump targeting transgender rights. Throughout his campaign, Trump found that this issue resonated beyond party lines, with an AP VoteCast survey showing that over half of respondents believed support for transgender rights had gone too far.
To ensure compliance, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has been instructed to align its investigations with Trump’s directive. According to sources speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, the acting director has urged staff to prioritize enforcement of the new order.
Trump also addressed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, assigning Secretary of State Marco Rubio to deliver a firm message that “America categorically rejects transgender lunacy.” He added, “We want them to change everything related to the Olympics concerning this absolutely ridiculous issue.”
