Caitlyn Jenner has released a statement regarding another one of Donald Trump’s controversial executive orders that directly impacts transgender athletes in women’s sports.
Earlier this week, Trump, 78, signed the new legislation while voicing his opposition to transgender athletes competing on women’s sports teams. He also announced plans to cut federal funding for schools that permit it.
On Wednesday (February 5), speaking from the White House, he declared: “We will defend the proud tradition of female athletes. From now on, women’s sports will be only for women. The war on women’s sports is over.”
The Republican further stated that this policy is part of a “sweeping effort to reclaim our culture and our laws” and that the Education Department would instruct schools that allowing transgender athletes to compete would violate federal laws prohibiting sex-based discrimination.
Currently, Title IX, a federal law, ensures that schools receiving government funding cannot discriminate based on sex.
Under Trump’s new order, schools accepting taxpayer money that “let men take over women’s sports teams or invade your locker rooms” will face investigation. He warned: “There will be no federal funding. So this will effectively end the attack on female athletes.”
Caitlyn Jenner, the former Olympic champion who publicly came out as a transgender woman in 2015, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share a statement that has left millions surprised—openly expressing her support for Trump’s latest decision.
“Another victory in the fight for protecting women’s sports!” Jenner wrote. “President Trump signs an Executive Order keeping biological men out of women’s sports!”
She continued: “As an Olympian, I will continue to fight this issue, lobbying sport governing body’s all over the world to follow our lead!”
The reality star—who previously told USA Today that she had received “more flak for being a conservative Republican than I have for being trans”—remains one of the most well-known LGBTQ+ athletes, having secured an Olympic gold medal in the decathlon at the peak of her career.
Unsurprisingly, her latest post has sparked widespread confusion among her online followers.
“You are so confusing,” one person criticized in the comments, while another urged her: “The world needs you to fight this issue because what is happening is damaging.”
A third commenter asked: “Legitimate question – as a trans woman, are you cool with them just slowly erasing trans people, their rights, and everything they’ve worked towards?”
They continued: “Not even regarding this OE [order] in particular, but all the other ones. I honestly would love to know your thoughts.”
After Trump’s victory over Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, Jenner previously took to Instagram to address her 15.4 million followers, stating: “Hope is back in America.”
Sharing a photo of herself alongside Trump, his granddaughter Kai Madison, and Elon Musk, Jenner added in the caption: “These two men will single-handedly save western civilisation and that starts with a strong United States of America.”
The Kardashians star also wrote: “I am here and at your service and forever indebted to your sacrifice for this country.
“Let’s Make America Great Again!”
According to Reuters, enforcing Trump’s ban “may be difficult” for him “to enforce,” as his current options “range from looking at birth certificates, which can be altered, to inspecting the bodies of children, an alternative that most would find unpalatable at best.”
Transgender athlete Chris Mosier, who also spoke to the publication, has responded: “Anti-trans school sports bans are difficult to enforce because they rely on sex testing and body policing for implementation and enforcement.
“An increased scrutiny on athletes’ bodies creates serious harm to all women and girls who are perceived as ‘more masculine’ due to being queer, intersex, or otherwise out of alignment with narrow, white-centric norms of femininity.”
Trump’s enforcement challenge stems from the difficulty of verifying gender without invasive measures, raising ethical and practical concerns.
