—
The first six months of Donald Trump’s second term as president of the United States have been defined by sweeping executive orders and the introduction of legislation that takes aim at some of America’s most marginalized communities.
In particular, transgender people living in the US have been a target of the Trump administration’s ire. Several actions have been taken to prevent trans people from participating in public life, from banning transgender Americans from serving in the military to an executive order that bans transgender women from competing in women’s sports.
Trans athletes, especially, have been in the crosshairs of the Trump administration over the last few months. There have been threats to California’s federal funding over the participation of a trans high school junior in state track and field championships and in March, the White House cut off $175 million in federal funds for the University of Pennsylvania related to the trans athlete issue.
As the US gears up to be one of three countries hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup next June – the first on American soil since 1994 – the spotlight is turning towards its sporting scene.
