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Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Top Republican floats wild idea that LA should be stripped of hosting 2028 Olympic games after ICE rioters set city on fire
A Republican is calling for the 2028 Olympic host city of Los Angeles to be stripped of the honor of hosting the games after anti-ICE riots have engulfed the liberal city in flames. Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) said he is unsure of LA's ability to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in light of the violence and distress rocking the city. Moreno pointed to the realities of current political leadership at the state and local levels in California as the causes of his concern. Given that essentially the same political leadership will be in place in California and Los Angeles in 2026 and 2028, Moreno suggested making the decision to 'say they're incapable of handling two big, high-profile events like this?' 'Won't we be better off as a nation, just to make an acknowledgement of that and move it to someplace that actually will have law and order, that will have the proper amount of protections for American citizens and the 10s of millions of visitors that are going to come to both of those events?' Moreno added. LA2028 CEO Reynold H. Hoover replied that he was confident California would be ready to display 'America's best' when opening Olympic ceremonies kick off July 14, 2028. Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.), also noted during the hearing that holding such premier international sporting events are 'a great honor.' Oklahoma Senator James Lankford, who serves as the chair of the subcommittee during which Moreno's exchange took place, noted that President Donald Trump was the one who pushed for the United States to host the Olympics in Los Angeles during his first term. 'We're going to continue to welcome the world to the United States,' Lankford noted Tuesday. 'We want to make this the most secure, and demonstrate the freedom that happens here in the United States, and literally invite the world to come enjoy that freedom with us,' Lankford also noted. Moreno's Tuesday exchange came one day after California Democratic Rep. Linda Sanchez told CNN Monday that the rioters participating in the fiery Los Angeles ICE protests were no different than sports fans. The California lawmaker also used the appearance to blast the Trump administration for sending both Marines and California National Guard members to the Golden State to deal to rioters who have set vehicles on fire and hurled bricks at law enforcement officers. 'It's no different than when a team wins a national championship and people get overexcited,' Sanchez said, adding that the 'vast majority of protestors have been peaceful.' 'We have been calling for protestors to protest peacefully, that is their constitutional right. The vast majority of protestors have been peaceful. There are always a few bad actors.' 'And yes, we think anybody who commits property damage ought to be arrested and ought to be prosecuted,' Sanchez noted. Sanchez condemned Trump's decision to deploy federal troops to handle civilian unrest as 'authoritarian flexing' that does not enhance anyone's safety. 'Local law enforcement has said they can handle the protest, it's no different than when a team wins a national championship & people get overexcited, and they overturn vehicles and light them on fire, local law enforcement is prepared to handle those types of situations,' Sanchez claimed. Just before Sanchez's CNN appearance, it was announced that Trump would mobilize 700 Marines to LA to assist the California National Guard in quelling the protests.
New York Times
06-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
LA28 organisers say President Donald Trump's travel ban will not affect Olympic Games
Organizers of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles have said that a travel ban introduced by United States President Donald Trump will not disrupt the Games. Citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar (Burma), Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen will be banned from entering the U.S. when the ban, which applies to immigrants and non-immigrants, goes into effect Monday. Advertisement Partial restrictions have also been placed on nationals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. The White House confirmed that 'any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics,' would be exempt from the ban when it was announced Wednesday. Fans from the affected countries, however, are not exempt from the restrictions. Reynold Hoover, chief executive officer of the organising committee LA28, said that exemptions allowed for a 'wide-open Games' and that the ban would not affect the Olympics themselves. 'The important thing for us is that the federal government and this administration recognized the importance of the Olympics and the Games,' he told Reuters on Thursday. 'There is a carve-out in the order in the travel ban that allows for and assures that there will be access to the Games for the athletes and their families and officials.' LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman said that he was confident that those involved in the Olympics would not be impacted. 'All the constituents that you know so well that come to the city pre-Games and during the Games — it's very clear that the federal government understands that that's an environment that they will be accommodating and provide for,' Wasserman said at a news conference Thursday, via AFP. 'So we have great confidence that that will only continue. It has been the case to date, and it will certainly be the case going forward through the Games.' Wasserman added that he does not expect the ban to affect ticket sales for the Olympics, per Reuters. In addition to the men's soccer World Cup, which is being hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico in 2026, and the Olympics, the White House proclamation says that athletes, coaches and immediate relatives at any 'other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State' would also be exempt. Advertisement When asked directly on Thursday if this constituted the FIFA Club World Cup or the Gold Cup, which are both being held in the U.S. this summer, the State Department told The Athletic: 'We are implementing the President's directive to secure U.S. borders and protect American communities and citizens.' A White House spokesperson told The Athletic that both tournaments are deemed major events, which would allow Haiti to compete at the Gold Cup and players from affected countries to represent their teams at the Club World Cup.
Straits Times
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
US travel ban will not hinder Los Angeles Olympics, LA28 CEO says
Casey Wasserman, LA28 Chairperson and President speaks between Nicole Hoevertsz, IOC Vice President and LA28 Coordination Commission Chair, and Reynold Hoover, LA28 Chief Executive Officer, during a press conference in Los Angeles, California, U.S. June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake US travel ban will not hinder Los Angeles Olympics, LA28 CEO says LOS ANGELES - U.S. President Donald Trump's directive banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S. exempts athletes, and LA28 officials said on Thursday they were confident the Games have the full backing of the administration. Trump signed the proclamation on Wednesday as part of an immigration crackdown he said was needed to protect against "foreign terrorists" and other security threats. "The important thing for us is that the federal government and this administration recognized the importance of the Olympics and the Games," LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover told Reuters on Thursday. "There is a carve-out in the order in the travel ban that allows for and assures that there will be access to the Games for the athletes and their families and officials. "We will be able to have a wide-open Games." The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The entry of people from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela - will be partially restricted. Casey Wasserman, the chairman of LA28, the private, non-profit company organizing the Games, said he had "great confidence" that the positive working relationship with the administration would continue. "It was very clear in the directive that the Olympics require special consideration, and I want to thank the federal government for recognizing that," he told a press conference after hosting International Olympic Committee officials in Los Angeles. Wasserman added that he did not anticipate the travel ban to have any impact on ticket sales, which will begin next year. The U.S. along with Canada and Mexico will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and Trump said during a task force meeting last month that he wanted people traveling to the U.S. to watch that competition to have a seamless experience during their visit. "At the White House task force the president, the vice president, all of the administration officials said, 'We welcome the world to come to FIFA,'" Hoover said. "I think the administration is welcoming the world to come to LA." Hoover said LA28 continues to forge ties with the administration ahead of the mega-sporting event, now just over three years away. "We have direct communication with the White House through the chief of staff, we have direct communication with the Department of State, and we are working with the State Department to have embedded teams to coordinate visa access," he said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
06-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Olympics-US travel ban will not hinder Los Angeles Olympics, LA28 CEO says
Casey Wasserman, LA28 Chairperson and President speaks between Nicole Hoevertsz, IOC Vice President and LA28 Coordination Commission Chair, and Reynold Hoover, LA28 Chief Executive Officer, during a press conference in Los Angeles, California, U.S. June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's directive banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S. exempts athletes, and LA28 officials said on Thursday they were confident the Games have the full backing of the administration. Trump signed the proclamation on Wednesday as part of an immigration crackdown he said was needed to protect against "foreign terrorists" and other security threats. "The important thing for us is that the federal government and this administration recognized the importance of the Olympics and the Games," LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover told Reuters on Thursday. "There is a carve-out in the order in the travel ban that allows for and assures that there will be access to the Games for the athletes and their families and officials. "We will be able to have a wide-open Games." The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The entry of people from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela - will be partially restricted. Casey Wasserman, the chairman of LA28, the private, non-profit company organizing the Games, said he had "great confidence" that the positive working relationship with the administration would continue. "It was very clear in the directive that the Olympics require special consideration, and I want to thank the federal government for recognizing that," he told a press conference after hosting International Olympic Committee officials in Los Angeles. Wasserman added that he did not anticipate the travel ban to have any impact on ticket sales, which will begin next year. The U.S. along with Canada and Mexico will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and Trump said during a task force meeting last month that he wanted people traveling to the U.S. to watch that competition to have a seamless experience during their visit. "At the White House task force the president, the vice president, all of the administration officials said, 'We welcome the world to come to FIFA,'" Hoover said. "I think the administration is welcoming the world to come to LA." Hoover said LA28 continues to forge ties with the administration ahead of the mega-sporting event, now just over three years away. "We have direct communication with the White House through the chief of staff, we have direct communication with the Department of State, and we are working with the State Department to have embedded teams to coordinate visa access," he said. (Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
Reuters
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
US travel ban will not hinder Los Angeles Olympics, LA28 CEO says
LOS ANGELES, June 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's directive banning citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S. exempts athletes, and LA28 officials said on Thursday they were confident the Games have the full backing of the administration. Trump signed the proclamation on Wednesday as part of an immigration crackdown he said was needed to protect against "foreign terrorists" and other security threats. "The important thing for us is that the federal government and this administration recognized the importance of the Olympics and the Games," LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover told Reuters on Thursday. "There is a carve-out in the order in the travel ban that allows for and assures that there will be access to the Games for the athletes and their families and officials. "We will be able to have a wide-open Games." The countries affected by the latest travel ban are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The entry of people from seven other countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela - will be partially restricted. Casey Wasserman, the chairman of LA28, the private, non-profit company organizing the Games, said he had "great confidence" that the positive working relationship with the administration would continue. "It was very clear in the directive that the Olympics require special consideration, and I want to thank the federal government for recognizing that," he told a press conference after hosting International Olympic Committee officials in Los Angeles. Wasserman added that he did not anticipate the travel ban to have any impact on ticket sales, which will begin next year. The U.S. along with Canada and Mexico will host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, and Trump said during a task force meeting last month that he wanted people traveling to the U.S. to watch that competition to have a seamless experience during their visit. "At the White House task force the president, the vice president, all of the administration officials said, 'We welcome the world to come to FIFA,'" Hoover said. "I think the administration is welcoming the world to come to LA." Hoover said LA28 continues to forge ties with the administration ahead of the mega-sporting event, now just over three years away. "We have direct communication with the White House through the chief of staff, we have direct communication with the Department of State, and we are working with the State Department to have embedded teams to coordinate visa access," he said.
