(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday establishing a White House task force to coordinate federal preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Trump will chair the task force, with Vice President JD Vance serving as vice chair. The group includes seven Cabinet secretaries, senior White House staff and the FBI director to coordinate federal planning for what the president called “one of the most prominent international sports events of the 21st century.”
“America is a nation of champions, and in July 2028, we’ll show the world what America does best … winning like we had never won before,” Trump said.
He added the federal government would ensure “maximum safety, secure borders, and world-class transportation” for the event.
“We’ll do anything necessary to keep the Olympics safe, including using our National Guard or military,” Trump said during the signing ceremony. The president previously deployed National Guard troops to Los Angeles during immigration enforcement operations.
Trump earlier this year signed another order to bar transgender athletes from competing in girls and women’s sports, fulfilling one of his campaign promises. Those individuals will also face exclusion from the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
The task force, housed within the Department of Homeland Security, will coordinate security, transportation and entry processes for millions of expected visitors during the 2028 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. Agency heads must submit planning reports by October 2025, and the task force will terminate on December 31, 2028.
At Tuesday’s ceremony, LA28 organizers presented Trump with commemorative gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. “Can I say I won them athletically?” Trump joked when receiving the medals.
Organizers also announced the Olympic torch relay will visit all 50 states for the first time in Games history.
“During his first term, President Trump was instrumental in securing America’s bid to host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “The President considers it a great honor to oversee this global sporting spectacle in his second term.”
The 2028 Games are expected to be among the largest Olympic events ever hosted in the United States. Los Angeles previously hosted the Summer Olympics in 1932 and 1984.
Casey Wasserman, chairperson and president of LA28, praised the administration’s support, calling the task force creation “an important step forward in our planning efforts.”
He said the organizing committee is committed to delivering “the greatest Games the world has ever seen.”
Trump secured the Los Angeles bid during his first presidency in 2017, beating out Paris for the hosting rights.
The 2028 Games will be the first Olympics to be hosted by the U.S. since the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.
2026 FIFA World Cup being hosted by U.S., Canada and Mexico
Along with the 2028 Summer Games, Trump has said that the 2026 FIFA World Cup being hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico is among the events he’s most looking forward to in his second term.
In preparation for next year’s competition, the governments of all three countries said Tuesday they had held the first meeting of a trilateral coordinating council of government officials, industry leaders and security professionals.
The council discussed various issues, including preparedness for any security threats ahead of the World Cup.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.