President Trump said Tuesday that he may call up the National Guard or the military to conduct security operations at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Trump made the remarks after signing an executive order that establishes a White House task force to oversee security matters for the games. He named himself the chair of the task force, and Vice President JD Vance the vice chair.
“We’ll do anything necessary to keep the Olympics safe, including using our National Guard or military,” Trump said. “I will use the National Guard or the military — this is going to be so safe — if we have to. You have a mayor who is not very competent.”
In June, Trump ordered about 5,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles in response to protests against immigration enforcement — despite opposition from Gov. Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass. Nearly all of them have since been withdrawn.
Local officials are hoping for a relatively cooperative relationship with the federal government in putting on the games. Trump’s mention of the National Guard touched on one of many sore points in that relationship over the last few months.
At the press conference, he also alluded to the Palisades and Eaton fires, leading to a familiar riff on California water politics and the Delta smelt.
Trump was joined by Casey Wasserman, the chairman of LA28, who thanked the president for his efforts and presented him with a set of three Olympic medals from the 1984 games in Los Angeles.
“Can I say that I won them athletically?” the president joked.
Trump introduced Wasserman as “a friend of mine for a long time,” and recalled that he was president when Los Angeles was chosen for the games in 2017.
“L.A. is a little bit different place than it was when selected,” Trump said. “But we’re going to bring it back stronger than ever.”
In the executive order, Trump committed the federal government to a “unified effort to ensure maximum safety, secure borders, and world-class transportation for millions of visitors” during the games.
Trump also referenced his move to block trans women from competing in women’s sports.
“The United States will not let men steal trophies from women at the 2028 Olympic games,” he said.
In the ’90s, President Clinton established a White House task force to help with the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Security was also a top concern for the federal government the last time the U.S. hosted the games, in Salt Lake City in 2002, a few months after the 9/11 attacks.
variety.com
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