With the Paris Olympics coming to an end in a spectacular closing ceremony on Sunday night, Donald Trump had something else on his mind: himself. The former president specifically posted on his Truth Social platform to take credit for the fact that the next Summer Games will take place in Los Angeles. Trump claimed that as President-Elect, he worked with the Olympic Organizing Committee of Los Angeles to secure the 2028 Olympics for the United States, citing fierce competition from other countries.
In November 2016, a spokeswoman for Los Angeles’ then-Mayor Eric Garcetti stated that Trump planned to support the city’s bid to host its third Olympics. At the time, L.A. was competing with Paris and Budapest for the 2024 Games, with Budapest eventually withdrawing its bid. The International Olympic Committee confirmed in 2017 that Paris would host the 2024 event, while Los Angeles would host the 2028 Games.
Trump took the opportunity to criticize former President Obama, claiming that Obama’s lack of enthusiastic support for the U.S. bid for the 2016 Games led to its rejection. Trump boasted that he provided the IOC with the support they needed and ultimately secured the 2028 Olympics for the United States. He expressed his pride in accomplishing this feat and hinted at a potential return to the presidency in 2028.
This boastful post from Trump followed his criticism of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, which he called a „disgrace.“ In a Fox News interview, Trump specifically took issue with a segment of the ceremony featuring drag performers, which some Christians believed mocked Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. However, the segment was actually intended to reference Greek mythology.
Looking ahead to the 2028 Games, Trump suggested that if he were president, there would not be a repeat of the controversial segment from the Paris opening ceremony. His comments indicate a potential focus on cultural and religious sensitivities in future Olympic events under his leadership.
Overall, Trump’s involvement in securing the 2028 Olympics for Los Angeles and his commentary on the Paris Games highlight his continued interest in and influence on major international events. Whether or not he will return to the presidency in 2028 remains to be seen, but his impact on the world stage is undeniable.