Former President Donald Trump has urged the Senate to pass the "Protect College Sports Act" before their recess, emphasizing its importance for the future of college athletics, women's sports, and Olympic programs. Trump expressed his strong backing for the bill in a post on Truth Social, stating that without it, "millions of young Athletes will be hurt, programs will be canceled, Women's and Olympic Sports will go away, the fans will be robbed, and Universities will go broke."
Trump also contended that the bill "CLEARLY protects the Laws in 27 States protecting Women's Sports, and banning Men from Women's Sports," directly addressing concerns about the inclusion of transgender athletes in women's competitions. He asserted that "Nobody has done more to protect Women Athletes than me," dismissing any claims to the contrary as "LYING."
These remarks follow similar statements made by Trump the previous day while hosting U.S. Olympians at the White House. On Thursday, he encouraged both the House and Senate to "come together, bipartisan if possible," to send the bill to his desk for signing, warning that failure to act would be "foolish" and lead to an uncertain future for athletes.
The White House also issued a memo intended to clarify misconceptions about the bill, stating that the "Protect College Sports Act" would not override existing state laws that prohibit biological males from competing in women's sports. The memo indicated that states would retain their ability to legislate on this issue.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon, under the Trump administration, previously highlighted concerns regarding transgender athletes in women's sports, emphasizing the need to protect fairness, opportunities, and safety for female athletes. She criticized Democrats for what she characterized as a dismissal of these issues, reaffirming the administration's commitment to defending women's rights under Title IX.