&w=3840&q=100)
Trump to sign order creating task force for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
Bloomberg
President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Tuesday establishing a task force for the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, which will be held in Los Angeles during his term.
'During his first term, President Trump was instrumental in securing America's bid to host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles,' said White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, adding that the president would work to make the event 'the most exciting and memorable in history.'
'The President considers it a great honor to oversee this global sporting spectacle in his second term,' according to her statement Monday.
The executive order creating the task force was first reported by Reuters.
Trump has been an enthusiastic booster for major international sporting events scheduled to occur in the US under his watch, boasting about both the Olympics and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
'I got the World Cup and I have the Olympics and I did it,' Trump said at an event in Iowa in July.
Trump tapped a similar task force earlier this year for the World Cup that will be hosted in the US, Canada and Mexico next year, appointing Andrew Giuliani, the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani — one of the president's staunchest allies — to be its director.
That task force was established to coordinate departments and agencies across the federal government to assist in organizing and carrying out the World Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, a separate tournament that was held earlier this year.
Both the Olympics and the World Cup are expected to draw large numbers of spectators — as well as many international tourists — bringing logistical and security challenges. Some Trump administration critics have expressed concerns that his effort to crack down on undocumented immigration and restrict travel from some countries could complicate efforts to host those sporting events. Trump has promised he will facilitate travel and visa access for World Cup teams and supporters.
The president has regularly attended premier sporting events since his return to office, including the Super Bowl, Daytona 500, a UFC fight, the NCAA men's wrestling championships and the FIFA Club World Cup final, which took place in New Jersey.
And he often weighs in sports-world controversies. Trump blasted the Opening Ceremony for the 2024 Olympics in Paris as 'a disgrace' over a performance that some viewers believed to be a depiction of Leonardo da Vinci's 'The Last Supper,' even though organizers denied there was a religious reference.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
23 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Donald Trump pulls the trigger, doubles India levy to 50%
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday imposing an additional 25% tariff on all Indian goods entering the US, carrying out his threat made a day ago to penalise New Delhi's continued purchases of Russian oil. Trump's additional 25% tariff followed after over a week of criticism focused on New Delhi's continued purchases of Russian energy. (REUTERS) The additional 25%, due to take effect on August 27, puts India at par with Brazil as the two countries whose exports will face the highest levy of 50% on their goods. The duties would put Indian exporters at a significant disadvantage compared to their rivals in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam – which face tariffs of between 19% and 20% tariffs. 'I have received additional information from various senior officials on the actions of the government of the Russian Federation with respect to the situation in Ukraine,' Trump wrote in the executive order. 'I determine that it is necessary and appropriate to impose an additional ad valorem duty on imports of articles of India, which is directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil.' India hit back, reiterating that the American actions are 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable'. 'India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests,' ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement, adding that it was 'extremely unfortunate' that the US had chosen to act against India 'for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest'. He was alluding to continuing imports of Russian energy, especially LNG, by European Union (EU) member states that have paid Russia $105.6 billion for gas imports since the start of the invasion of Ukraine. Almost 87% of all EU imports of Russian LNG went to Spain, France or Belgium, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named. To be sure, the executive order continues exemptions provided earlier for sectors like pharmaceuticals and smartphones — though how long these exemptions remain is unclear. The order also exempts goods that are already in transit to America and which will clear US customs before September 17. 'The move places India among the most heavily taxed US trading partners, far above rivals such as China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, and threatens most of India's $86.5 billion in annual exports to the US, from textiles to machinery,' according to analysis by the Global Trade Research Institute. 'The tariffs are expected to make Indian goods far costlier in the US, with potential to cut US-bound exports by 40–50%,' the GTRI analysis added. The executive order issued on Wednesday specifies that certain exemptions will continue. Among these are Section 232 national security exemptions that protect Indian pharmaceuticals — which account for about 40% of America's generic medicines — along with electronics, semiconductors and technology products that form the backbone of bilateral trade. Additional exemptions under Executive Order 14257's Annex II cover raw materials, certain metals and chemical formulations. Select product categories like apparels, vehicles and parts, furniture, organic chemicals and some food products like shrimp – which account for billions of dollars of exports -- will now face high tariffs entering the US market. Trump's additional 25% tariff followed after over a week of criticism focused on New Delhi's continued purchases of Russian energy. Washington has sought to increase economic pressure on Russia to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war by restricting Moscow's oil export revenues. India is Russia's second largest market for oil exports after China. In 2024, China purchased Russian oil worth $62.6 billion, followed by India's purchases to the tune of $52.7 billion. In the order, the US president also specified that he may – in the 21 days before the order takes effect – change the levy if 'if another country retaliates against the United States in response to this action, or if the government of the Russian Federation or a foreign country impacted by this order takes significant steps to address the national emergency and align sufficiently with the United States on national security, foreign policy, and economic matters.' In other words, Trump held out both a threat that he could ratchet up the levy or pare it back, depending on any retaliation or changes to Russia's stance in the war against Ukraine. Trump has set an August 8 deadline for Russia to agree to a Ukraine truce deal. 'There's a higher chance that India will find loopholes to concede the agri/soybean access the US has been asking for, than there is for India to halt oil purchases from Russia due to external pressure. Either way, it is unlikely that a decision will be taken on either front as long as Parliament is in session. Momentum on real solutions shouldn't be expected before August 20,' says Prerna Bountra, Deputy Director at the Ananta Aspen Centre, a New Delhi-based think tank. The rising tensions between India and the United States have also spiralled into a political controversy, with Opposition parties objecting to the government's handling of ties with America. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called the move 'economic blackmail' by the US to bully India into an unfair trade deal, adding Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not let Indian interests be overridden. (With inputs from Rezaul H Laskar in New Delhi)
Hindustan Times
23 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Donald Trump plans to meet Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky next week in a renewed bid to end Ukraine war
President Donald Trump told European allies he's planning to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as soon as next week in another bid to bring peace between the two countries. The effort to convene a meeting of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Volodymyr Zelensky came hours after Putin finished hosting US special envoy Steve Witkoff for three hours of discussions in Moscow.(AP) Trump detailed the plans in a phone call Wednesday that also included Zelensky, according to a person familiar with the discussion. The effort to convene a meeting of the three leaders came hours after Putin finished hosting US special envoy Steve Witkoff for three hours of discussions in Moscow. Trump in a social media post earlier on Wednesday said that there was 'great progress made' in that meeting, while still leaving open the possibility of further penalties on Moscow's oil revenues. The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The New York Times first reported Trump's plans as relayed on the call with the diplomats. Earlier Wednesday, Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% as punishment for its purchases of Russian energy. US officials are weighing additional actions to choke off energy sales that are a key source of funds for Russia's war effort in Ukraine. The Trump administration is considering new sanctions on Moscow's covert fleet of oil tankers and several entities that enable them to operate, according to people familiar with the matter. 'Afterwards, I updated some of our European Allies,' Trump said in the post. 'Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come.' Still, a White House official said the US expected to implement secondary sanctions on Friday even as they expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the Witkoff-Putin meeting. Putin's government said little about the three-hour conversation, with Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov telling reporters the Russian leader exchanged 'signals' with Trump on Ukraine, without elaborating. The Russian vessels have become instrumental to its ability to move its oil despite US and European sanctions. 'The shadow tanker fleet is the backbone of Russia's sanctions evasion and war financing,' Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, said on the X platform. The Financial Times first reported the potential measures on Russia's shadow fleet. The people said the Trump administration is considering a range of options to restrict Putin's energy revenues. Other possibilities could include measures targeting oil companies and actions to better enforce existing restrictions.
News18
23 minutes ago
- News18
Trump Says He Intends To Meet Putin, Zelensky As Early As Next Week, Following Witkoff Trip
New sanctions against Russia will still kick in the White House said, even as President Donald Trump praised a meeting between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Vladimir Putin as 'highly productive' – and said he was open to meeting the Russian leader as early as next week. News18 Mobile App -
