Latest news with #transgenderAthletes
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
President Trump Leaves Soccer Team Speechless With Question At White House
President Trump Leaves Soccer Team Speechless With Question At White House originally appeared on The Spun. President Donald Trump had a rather questionable encounter with Juventus players and staff members on Wednesday. Advertisement Juventus is currently in the United States for the FIFA Club World Cup. Prior to the Italian club's match against Al Ain, several players and coaches took a trip to the White House to meet with President Trump. Although it wasn't necessary, Trump asked Juventus players for their view on transgender athletes. He kicked off the conversation by saying, "Could a woman make your team, fellas?" Juventus general manager Damien Comolli replied, "We have a very good women's team." That led to another interesting comment from Trump. "You do, but they should be playing with women," Trump said. "He's being very diplomatic." US President Donald Trump, center, during a meeting with members of the Juventus soccer club in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. Juventus will play at the Club World Cup Wednesday night in Washington, DC. Photographer: Ken Cedeno/UPI/Bloomberg viaJuventus player Tim Weah, who also competes for the United States national team, didn't hold back his thoughts on meeting Trump. Advertisement "It was weird," Weah said, via The Guardian. "I was caught by surprise, honestly, when he started talking politics, with Iran and everything. I was kind of like, I just want to play football … They just told us that we have to go, and I had no choice but to go. So I guess it was a cool experience, obviously being in the White House as a first time, it's always wonderful. But I'm not one for the politics, so it wasn't that exciting." Weah isn't the only person knocking Trump this week. Countless soccer fans said his question about women competing with men was uncalled for. Related: Alexi Lalas Sends Warning About World Cup To President Trump President Trump Leaves Soccer Team Speechless With Question At White House first appeared on The Spun on Jun 19, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Washington Post
a day ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trump leaves Juventus speechless with questions on trans issues, Iran
During a White House visit Wednesday by Italian soccer giant Juventus, President Donald Trump pressed players and officials from the club on transgender athletes. The awkward scene unfolded in the Oval Office, where members of the Serie A squad were standing behind Trump as he sat at the Resolute Desk. The visit came ahead of Juventus's FIFA Club World Cup match against United Arab Emirates side Al Ain at D.C.'s Audi Field, which the Italians won, 5-0.
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Trump confronts Juventus soccer team about 'men playing in women's sports' at White House
President Donald Trump host the popular Italian soccer club Juventus FC at the White House on Wednesday, as the team is in the U.S. for the Club World Cup. During the visit, as the players stood behind Trump's desk in the Oval Office, Trump broached the subject of transgender athletes in women's sports during a lengthy rant about former President Joe Biden. "He was never for open border, and you'd think, he was never for transgender for everybody, or men playing in women's sports," Trump said. The president then turned around to face the Juventus players and posed a question. "Could a woman make your team, fellas?" he asked. The players all exchanged glances, but none gave an answer. The president then turned to face the team's general manager Damien Comolli and pose the same question. "We have a very good women's team," Comolli said. But Trump pressed Comolli, repeating the question, "But they should be playing with women?" Comolli did not offer an answer that time. "See, they're very diplomatic," Trump mocked. Trump has made combating trans athletes in women's and girls sports a key pillar of his second administration's agenda. Trump signed the "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order on Feb. 5 after campaigning heavily on the issue in 2024. The order prompted the NCAA to change its gender eligibility policy to only permit biological females to compete in the women's category. However, Trump's executive order has been met with staunch resistance by Democratic state leaders across the country. Trump's administration is already engaged in a lawsuit against Maine, and has been sued by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison over the issue as well. Federal Title IX investigations have also been opened into California and Massachusetts' high school sports leagues. A New York Times/Ipsos survey found the vast majority of Americans, including a majority of Democrats, don't think transgender athletes should be permitted to compete in women's sports. Of the 2,128 people who participated, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women's sports. Of the 1,025 people who identified as Democrats or leaning Democrat, 67% said transgender athletes should not be allowed to compete with women. Among 1,022 Republicans, that number was 94%. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Donald Trump stuns soccer players with dig at trans athletes during their White House visit
President Donald Trump stunned the professional soccer players standing behind him in the Oval Office with his dig at transgender athletes, asking them if women could make their men's team. The guests of honor were all in town because of the FIFA Club World Cup, with the organization's president, Gianni Infantino, standing alongside players and representatives from Italian behemoth Juventus. Included in the Juventus representation were Americans Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, who are both expected to be on the United States national team for next summer's World Cup. Trump's initial question to the soccer players in attendance at the White House was to McKennie about transgender athletes. 'Could a woman make your team fellas? Tell me, you think?' Trump said to his fellow American. McKennie looked stunned, who deferred an answer to Weah, and then Italian star Manuel Locatelli, who respectfully responded with, 'Yeah.' Trump asks the Juventus players standing behind him if women could make their team and tries to bait them into endorsing his transphobia — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 18, 2025 'You're being nice,' Trump responded to Locatelli. 'What do you think, think a woman could make the team? General managers, what do you think?' Trump said, turning to some of the Juventus leadership. 'We have a very good women's team,' Juventus general manager Damien Comolli said to Trump. 'You do have it, but they should be playing with women. It's one of those things. See, they're very diplomatic. Trump's opining to professional athletes comes after his bill to ban biological male athletes from competing in women's sports fell into the senate last month. Legislation that aimed to bar trans women and girls nationwide from participating in school athletic competitions designated for female athletes failed to advance in a divided Senate as Democrats stood united against an issue that Republicans leveraged in last year's elections. A test vote on the bill failed to gain the 60 votes needed to advance in the chamber as senators stuck to party lines in a 51-45 vote tally. The bill sought to determine Title IX protections 'based solely on a person´s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.' One of the latest examples of Trump and his administration trying to block transgender athletes from competing happened in California, before the Los Angeles protests, with track athlete AB Hernandez. The rule change is temporary, according to the CIF, and not a direct response to Trump's recent online criticism of California state policy, Governor Newsom and the 16-year-old Hernandez The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) widened the field at the high school track-and-field championships as Trump 's Department of Justice investigates the participation of a transgender athlete. California opened the event to more girls after Hernandez drew criticism for qualifying for the meet. The CIF will now permit an extra competitor in three events featuring the 16-year-old Hernandez. The rule change is temporary, according to the CIF, and not a direct response to Trump's recent online criticism of California state policy or Governor Gavin Newsom. Now, if a transgender athlete medals at this weekend's state championships outside Fresno, their ranking will not displace a 'biological female' student from medaling. So if Hernandez medals in the high jump, triple jump or long jump, the podium will include an additional competitor, who will also be awarded a medal. The federation has not announced any plans to verify whether a competitor meets the definition of 'biological female.' The American Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association have both stated that gender is a spectrum and not a binary structure, as the White House argued in its January 20 executive order 'defending women from gender ideology.' Juventus was drawn into a Club World Cup group against English powerhouse Manchester City, as well as Wydad AC from Morocco and Al Ain FC from the United Arab Emirates.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Politics
- Forbes
Mykayla Skinner Accuses Simone Biles Of Bullying, Voices Support For Riley Gaines
Olympic silver medalist Mykayla Skinner is making headlines again, and not for her gymnastics. The retired gymnast attempted to insert herself into the ongoing dispute regarding transgender athletes in sports between Simone Biles and Riley Gaines. In a statement delivered by right-wing outlet One America News Network on Friday, Skinner accused her Olympic teammate of bullying, while simultaneously expressing support for Gaines' anti-transgender cause. OAN shared Skinner's official statement on X. 'As an athlete who has dedicated years to a sport, I've always believed that true competition should elevate us—not diminish others. That's why it's deeply troubling to see (Simone Biles) publicly label a fellow female athlete a 'sore loser'—simply for expressing valid concerns about fairness in women's sports,' Skinner said. 'I commend and appreciate (Riley Gaines) for having the courage to speak up. Women like her are not only standing for fairness, but for the future of female athletics itself. She deserves support—not ridicule.' Skinner then went on to accuse Biles of bullying behavior over their nearly decade-long overlap on the competitive stage. 'Throughout my own career, I endured being belittled, dismissed, and ostracized behind the scenes by Simone. The pressure to stay silent was immense. I kept quiet out of respect—for the sport, for my teammates, and for the ideal of unity among athletes,' Skinner continued. 'But witnessing this kind of public shaming, especially from someone in a position of influence, makes that silence no longer acceptable. It's one thing to disagree. It's another to use your platform to bully and demean. No one should be punished for standing up for fairness and biological reality. We should be lifting each other up—not tearing one another down for speaking hard truths,' she said. She signed off her statement as an 'Olympic Medalist.' For avid followers of the sport, Skinner's comments fell on deaf ears. Without Simone Biles, Mykayla Skinner would not own an Olympic silver medal. At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Skinner failed to qualify for any event finals, ending her Olympic bid on her first day of competition. However, when Biles withdrew from multiple finals due to 'The Twisties,' only then was Skinner able to take Biles' spot in the event final. At the time, Skinner praised Biles for her relentless support. Without Biles' withdrawal, Skinner would have left Tokyo empty-handed. "To just have her support, and her having to step out of finals, and her just pushing me along every single day to help me to place on that podium has been so cool," Skinner told ESPN in 2021. When Skinner ultimately claimed a silver, Biles was quick to comment, 'I'm so freaking proud of you." In 2024, the camaraderie and gratitude were gone. Skinner's feud with the 2024 Olympic gymnastics team went mainstream in 2024. A controversial figure in gymnastics, Skinner struck a nerve with athletes and fans with her comments leading up to the selection of the U.S. Olympic team. While watching the 2024 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, Skinner took to her YouTube channel to share her thoughts on the athletes and their performances. In a now-deleted video, the Utah native criticized her former teammates and bemoaned the state of U.S. women's gymnastics. 'Besides Simone, I feel like the talent and the depth just isn't like what it used to be.' Just notice like, I mean, obviously a lot of girls don't work as hard. The girls just don't have the work ethic," the now-influencer said. After leaving the gold medal podium, biles and her 2024 Olympic teammates would soon 'shade' Skinner. Minutes after leaving the Paris podium, the newly minted Olympic Champions took to social media to celebrate their win. While all five medalists shared celebratory posts, Biles' post jabbed at Skinner's comments. Biles shared a pointed caption alongside a triumphant photo of the team, titling the post, 'lack of talent, lazy, olympic champions ❤️🥇🇺🇸.' The post spiraled into a public fallout, ending with Skinner largely withdrawing from involvement in online gymnastics commentary. For many fans of the sport, Skinner's recent comments mark an attempt to manufacture relevance and embolden causes contradicting her former teammate's views. The comments also signal the continuation of a career marked by controversial decision-making and inflammatory statements. After missing the Olympic team in 2016, Skinner shared a fan-made photo in which Skinner's face was superimposed over Gabby Douglas'. In that same post, Skinner drew allegations of racism after using monkey emojis, widely viewed as racist tropes. While a gymnast at the University of Utah (2017 - 2019), Skinner frequently clashed with judges and audibly complained about her scores. Skinner's brash reception drew criticism from fans. At the 2021 Olympics, Skinner drew criticism again for her complaints pertaining to the local Japanese cuisine, with many labeling her views as racist and xenophobic Ultimately, Mykayla Skinner's latest remarks have reignited long-standing tensions and drawn renewed scrutiny to her history of controversy within the sport. Once celebrated for her resilience, Skinner risks being remembered more for inflammatory commentary than athletic achievements.
