Donald Trump: Donald Trump’s administration orders US visa bans for transgender athletes, targets 2028 Olympics

The US government has instructed its consular officials worldwide to deny visa applications from transgender athletes seeking to enter the country for sports events, the New York Times reports.
The move also opens the door for lifelong visa bans on individuals deemed to have “misrepresented” their sex in their applications, potentially barring them from future entry.
The new directive follows an executive order signed by US President Donald Trump in February, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” The order prohibits transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports in the US and mandates that federal funding be revoked from educational institutions that do not comply with the policy.
On his first day back in office Trump directed federal agencies to define sex strictly as male or female, ensuring that government-issued identification reflects biological sex. The latest visa restrictions indicate a wider enforcement of this policy beyond domestic sports.
The decision carries global implications as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympic Games. Trump’s February order already instructed the US secretary of state Marco Rubio to use “all appropriate and available measures” to pressure the International Olympic Committee (IOC) into determining women’s sports eligibility based on biological sex rather than gender identity or testosterone levels.
Trump stated that Rubio would make clear to the IOC that “America categorically rejects transgender lunacy.” He added, “We want them to change everything having to do with the Olympics and having to do with this absolutely ridiculous subject that we even have to talk about this subject.”
Internal communications reveal policy implementation
Sources familiar with the matter told The New York Times that two electronic cables were sent to all U.S. diplomatic and consular posts, outlining the new guidelines. These instructions inform consular officers on how to process visa applications under the new restrictions.
The policy could impact athletes hoping to compete in major US-based women’s sports leagues, including the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). It may also affect international tournaments, such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup, with the US and Mexico bidding to host the 2031 edition.
Trump’s February executive order directed the secretaries of State and Homeland Security to review and revise policies to prevent transgender athletes from entering the country for competitions. The order specifically referenced Section 212(a)(6)(C)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which bars individuals who procure a visa through fraud or by “willfully misrepresenting a material fact.” This section allows not just for visa denial but also for permanent exclusion from the US.
“This is yet another action from the Trump Administration that makes it abundantly clear trans people are squarely in their crosshairs, despite the fact that we are barely 1.6 per cent of the population,” said Carl Charles, a senior attorney with Lambda Legal, following the executive order.
A second diplomatic cable included a directive from Rubio, reported by The Guardian. The directive stated: “In cases where applicants are suspected of misrepresenting their purpose of travel or sex, you should consider whether this misrepresentation is material such that it supports an ineligibility finding.” Such a finding could result in a permanent visa ban.
Trump also directly addressed the 2028 Olympics in February, stating: “I’m also directing our Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem… to deny any and all visa applications made by men attempting to fraudulently enter the United States while identifying themselves as women athletes.”