President-elect Donald Trump promised Sunday to put an end to “transgender lunacy” and bar transgender athletes from women’s sports permanently.
Speaking at AmericaFest in Phoenix, Arizona, Trump addressed the crowd just weeks before his second-term inauguration.
“With a stroke of my pen on Day 1, we’re going to stop the transgender lunacy,” Trump declared to a roaring audience. “I’ll sign executive orders to end child mutilation and remove transgender ideology from our military, schools, and sports.”
He continued, “We will keep men out of women’s sports. Should I do it on Day 1, Day 2, or Day 3? How about Day 1? Under the Trump administration, the official policy of the United States will recognize only two genders — male and female. It’s not that complicated, is it?”
Transgender inclusion in women’s sports became a focal point of Trump’s campaign, where he took a firm and vocal stance.
During his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination in July, Trump didn’t hold back.
“We will not have men playing in women’s sports, that will end immediately,” he stated to widespread applause.
He also addressed the issue on Barstool Sports’ podcast, “Bussin’ with the Boys,” with former NFL players Taylor Lewan and Will Compton.
“It’s ridiculous,” Trump said about trans inclusion in women’s sports. “It doesn’t make sense to anyone with common sense.”
The topic has remained a rallying cry for his supporters and a defining element of his upcoming presidency.