Donald Trump announces task force for 2028 LA Games as Karoline Leavitt boasts about his 'athletic expertise'
He was scheduled to sign an executive order Tuesday, according to a social media post from the White House featuring a picture of Trump alongside a wrestler from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln.
The LA Olympics will be the first games held in the US since the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Casey Wasserman, a high-profile sports agent leading the 2028 organizing committee, expressed his gratitude for Trump's decision in a statement.
'[The formation of the task force] marks an important step forward in our planning efforts and reflects our shared commitment to delivering not just the biggest, but the greatest Games the world has ever seen in the summer of 2028,' he said.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt framed Tuesday's announcement as another win for Trump.
'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. 'Sports is one of President Trump's greatest passions, and his athletic expertise, combined with his unmatched hospitality experience will make these Olympic events the most exciting and memorable in history.'
Leavitt did not expand on Trump's 'athletic expertise,' but the President is an avid golfer who also enjoys watching football. Additionally, he was a first baseman in high school, writing on Twitter in 2013 that he was 'the best player in N.Y. state' while at New York Military Academy.
Previously, in a book titled 'The Games Do Count: America's Best and Brightest on the Power of Sports,' Trump claimed he was so good on the diamond that he was invited to a professional tryout where he competed with 'another young kid named Willie McCovey.'
However, Trump's boast is rather suspect, considering McCovey – the late Hall of Famer and legendary San Francisco Giants slugger – was born eight years before the President. In fact, when the young McCovey made his major league debut in 1959, Trump was still a decade away from graduating high school.
Slate's Leander Schaerlaeckens previously uncovered nine box scores from Trump's high school games, during which he went 4 for 29 at the plate.
The opening and closing ceremonies for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will be overseen by former chairman of Walt Disney Television and head of 21st Century Fox Peter Rice.
'Peter is one of the rare individuals whose expertise seamlessly combines creativity, operational insight and production excellence to deliver Ceremonies that will captivate audiences around the world,' Wasserman said last month.
'He's been a leading figure in shaping the modern television and film landscape and is the perfect asset to reimagining the delivery of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the digital age, leaving a legacy well beyond the Games.'
The opening ceremonies will be held on July 14, 2028 at 8pm at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The closing ceremonies will return to the Coliseum on July 30.
It's unclear what impact Trump's task force will have on the 2028 games and whom from his administration will be involved.
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