Former US President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on the NCAA's transgender athlete policies during a speech in Washington, branding them as "deeply unfair" to female competitors.
Speaking at a conservative gathering near the White House, the 2024 presidential hopeful claimed the policies were "destroying women's sports" and pledged to take action if re-elected.
'A Total Disgrace'
"What the NCAA is allowing to happen is a total disgrace," Trump declared to cheers from supporters. "Young women who've trained their whole lives are being forced to compete against biological males - it's unfair, it's unsafe, and it's wrong."
The former president specifically criticised recent NCAA rule changes that allow transgender women to compete in female categories under certain conditions.
Supreme Court Warning
Trump warned the issue could ultimately reach the US Supreme Court, saying: "This madness has to stop, and if the courts won't act, we will."
His comments come amid growing national debate over transgender participation in sports, with several Republican-led states passing laws banning transgender athletes from competing in school sports matching their gender identity.
Political Calculations
Political analysts suggest Trump's focus on the issue reflects its importance to his conservative base ahead of potential primary challenges. The speech also included broader attacks on "woke ideology" in American institutions.
Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have condemned Trump's remarks, accusing him of using transgender athletes as political pawns. "These dangerous comments fuel discrimination against an already vulnerable community," said a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign.
