'The war on women's sport is over': Trump signs executive order banning transgender athletes from competing

5 February 2025, 21:46

The order is titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” Trump said.
The order is titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” Trump said. Picture: Alamy

By Danielle de Wolfe

US president Donald Trump has signed an executive pledging to ban transgender athletes from competing women's sport.

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Speaking on Wednesday, the US President vowed he "will defend the proud tradition of female athletes".

“With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over,” Trump said on Wednesday, adding: "women's sports will only be for women."

Signing the order on a small lectern surrounded by young girls, the president marked the document with ink in the White House's East Room.

The order is titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” and forms part of the Democrats' latest pushback against what the party calls "woke" culture wars.

President Donald Trump signs an executive order barring transgender female athletes from competing in women's or girls' sporting events, in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump signs an executive order barring transgender female athletes from competing in women's or girls' sporting events, in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon). Picture: Alamy

Trump added the order signals to every school receiving taxpayer funding that "if you let men take over women's sports teams or invade your locker rooms", they face government investigation.

He added that schools could also risk losing federal funding.

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"There will be no federal funding. So this will effectively end the attack on female athletes," he added on Wednesday.

The order directs state attorneys general to identify best practices when it comes to enforcing the rule.

It's the latest in what Trump sees as a crackdown after he signed an order calling for the federal government to define sex as “only male or female” in his first day in office.

He said the decision should bd based on reproductive cells and written in official documents, including passports.

A child listens as President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order barring transgender female athletes from competing in women's or girls' sporting events, in the East Room of the White House
A child listens as President Donald Trump speaks before signing an executive order barring transgender female athletes from competing in women's or girls' sporting events, in the East Room of the White House. Picture: Alamy

It's but the latest in a string of controversial executive orders signed by the president.

On Wednesday, judges blocked one such order signed by Trump in an attempt to revoke birthright citizenship for the children of immigrants born in the US.

"Today, virtually every baby born on US soil is a US citizen upon birth," Maryland district judge Deborah Boardman ruled.

"That is the law and tradition of our country."