US President Donald Trump has enacted an executive order, named “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” to prohibit transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports. This directive empowers federal agencies, like the Justice and Education departments, to ensure compliance with Title IX, interpreting “sex” as the gender assigned at birth. During the signing ceremony, Trump proclaimed, “With this executive order, the war on women’s sports is over,” and underscored that schools permitting transgender participation could face investigations and lose federal funding.
The order, coinciding with National Girls and Women in Sports Day, aligns with Trump’s previous campaign promises to restrict transgender rights, a stance that has appealed to a portion of the electorate. It directs the Education Department to take action against schools violating Title IX and establishes a meeting with sports officials to discuss the impacts on female athletes. Trump, alongside supporters, framed the move as a defense of women’s sports against what he termed a “militant transgender ideology.”
The order adds to a series of actions from the Trump administration aimed at limiting transgender rights, raising concerns about its legality and potential challenges in court, particularly regarding NCAA policies. Civil rights advocates suggest these measures may contravene congressional laws and constitutional protections.