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4d ago

Local Leaders Diverge on Trump’s Direct Control of 2028 L.A. Olympics

Local council members question sudden federal intervention, with LA28 joined by state lawmakers embracing White House security, funding

U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by LA28 Chairman Casey Wasserman, holds 1984 Los Angeles Olympics medals as he delivers remarks before signing an executive order to create a White House Olympics task force to handle security and other issues related to the LA 2028 Summer Olympics, in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 5, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo
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US President Donald Trump during an executive order signing ceremony in the South Court Auditorium at the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. 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. Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg

Overview

  • President Trump signed an executive order on August 5 naming himself chair and Vice President JD Vance vice chair of an 18-member White House Olympics Task Force charged with planning, security and visa credentialing for the 2028 Games.
  • LA28 chair Casey Wasserman defended the president’s unprecedented personal oversight as a demonstration of federal commitment, likening it to past presidential task forces for U.S. host cities.
  • Council member Monica Rodriguez said city officials learned of the task force through media reports and expressed concern about potential federal overreach in Olympic planning.
  • Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office and Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove welcomed promised logistical support and a White House estimate of $18 billion in economic activity and 90,000 jobs, while Rep. Gil Cisneros urged limiting federal roles to traditional resource provision.
  • Local law enforcement leaders and some council members argued against deploying the National Guard or military, contending that city police and county sheriffs are prepared to secure the Games.