Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that he will create a White House taskforce to oversee elements of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
The president signed an executive order establishing the taskforce, which will include JD Vance as well as other cabinet members and government officials and will work with local and state authorities on security and transportation on the first games in the US in nearly three decades. Trump will lead the taskforce, while Vance will oversee “daily operations”.
“During his first term, President Trump was instrumental in securing America’s bid to host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The president considers it a great honor to oversee this global sporting spectacle in his second term,” Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said in a statement.
With the Olympics just three years away, the city has been rushing to prepare for the games, which are expected to attract millions of people over the course of 16 days.
City leaders have been in what the Los Angeles Times described as “high-stakes” negotiations with LA28, the committee managing the event, over the use of city staff, including police officers. Meanwhile, a proposed ballot measure could require some Olympic venues to receive approval from voters in order to be used.
Trump’s announcement comes after a summer of political clashes between the administration and Los Angeles leaders, including over aggressive immigration raids in the region and the deployment of US troops into the city over the objection of city and state leaders.
The former International Olympic Committee president, Thomas Bach, has expressed confidence in the “strong” city and said the games have the support of US leaders.
“With regard to LA, we have the full support of the president of the United States and the governor of California and the mayor of Los Angeles for the success of these Olympic Games,” Bach told the Associated Press in June before he stepped down.
Trump has frequently touted his support for hosting the games in Los Angeles. His recent budget bill allocates $1bn for security, planning and other Olympic-related costs.
The taskforce established by the president will “streamline visa processing and credentialing” for participants and media, the White House said in a statement.
The order also directs various government departments, as well as the FBI and the Secret Service to use “every tool at their disposal” to ensure a safe Olympics, the president said. He added that the federal government would consider using the national guard during the games.
Trump referenced the recent upheaval in Los Angeles during his remarks, and said that the city is “a little bit of a different place” than it was when selected, but “we’re gonna bring it back better than ever”.
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He also heralded his administration’s crackdown on transgender athletes, telling reporters that the US will not let “men steal trophies from women”.
In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news, the chairperson and president of LA28 expressed “deep appreciation” to the administration for their “unwavering support”.
“The creation of this taskforce marks an important step forward in our planning efforts and reflects our shared commitment to delivering not just the biggest, but the greatest Games the world has ever seen in the summer of 2028,” Casey Wasserman said.
Reuters contributed to this report
