US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order barring transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, fulfilling a key campaign promise.
The “No Men in Women’s Sports Executive Order” was signed during a ceremony at the White House on Wednesday. The move is the latest in a series of actions targeting transgender rights since Trump returned to office in January.
Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said the order aims to “protect women’s sports” and prevent what she described as “unfair participation.”
Trump repeatedly raised the issue of transgender athletes during his campaign, accusing Democrats, particularly Kamala Harris, of supporting policies that undermine women’s sports.
Since returning to the presidency, Trump has signed orders restricting gender-affirming care for minors and banning transgender individuals from serving in the military.
The executive order follows the Republican-led House of Representatives’ passage of a bill in January limiting transgender participation in women’s sports, part of a broader GOP strategy to challenge LGBTQ rights and rally conservative voters.
Democrats and LGBTQ advocates have strongly criticised these measures, calling them discriminatory and harmful to transgender individuals.
