Trump Speaks on Trans Athletes at West Point

During a speech at West Point, President Donald Trump emphasized that girls and women “don’t compete” with transgender athletes. He highlighted his executive order from February 5, which prohibits biological males from participating in women’s sports.

Addressing a crowd of 1,002 alumni, Trump again touched on this contentious issue. He stated, “If that’s okay, we’re not going to have any men in women’s sports,” adding with a hint of incredulity, “I don’t think so. How crazy is that?”

His order has faced pushback from several states, and there are current federal investigations surrounding Title IX regulations. Notably, a federal judge recently reinstated funds to Maine after they were temporarily withheld by the Department of Agriculture due to disagreements over the order.

After the issuance of Trump’s order, Maine Governor Janet Mills and Trump engaged in a highly publicized conflict. Meanwhile, earlier this month, a school district in Washington state voted to prohibit trans athletes from competing in women’s sports, challenging existing regulations by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association that allowed participation based on gender identity.

In May, a trans athlete made headlines by winning the women’s cross-country championship in the state.

Trump conveyed similar viewpoints in discussions with University of Alabama alumni earlier this month. Citing a recent New York Times/Ipsos Survey, he noted that a significant majority of Americans (and notably, many Democrats) believe trans athletes should not compete in women’s sports. The survey revealed that 79% of the respondents identified as women opposed biological males participating in female sports; among Democrats, that figure was 67%.

Moreover, a Gallup poll from last year indicated that nearly 70% of Americans hold the view that biological men should not compete in women’s sports.