LA28's Casey Wasserman says Trump-led task force shows government commitment
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US President Donald Trump, with LA28 chairman Casey Wasserman, as he delivers remarks before signing an executive order to create a White House Olympics task force.
PHOTO: REUTERS
LOS ANGELES – Organising chairman Casey Wasserman on Aug 8 defended United States President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to name himself head of a White House task force for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, saying that it reflected the federal government’s commitment to the Games.
“The president naming himself the chair is unique, but I think it shows the importance of this event to the president and the federal government, which just validates their support and their commitment to delivering these Games with us,” Wasserman told Reuters.
Noting that former Vice-President Al Gore also chaired the White House task force for the 1996 Atlanta Games, Wasserman said: “This is not a new concept... This is business as usual.”
Mr Trump, a Republican, said this week he would lead the task force to deliver a “safe, seamless and historically successful” Olympics in California’s largest city, a stronghold of the opposition Democratic Party.
But The Los Angeles Times, in an editorial on Aug 7, called for the city to pull out of the Games due to Mr Trump’s involvement, citing the administration’s deportation blitz in the region.
Wasserman was in Washington as Mr Trump signed the executive order on Aug 5 creating the task force, which is meant to help coordinate security, transportation, visa processing and other issues related to the 2028 Games.
“This administration and the whole force of the federal government has truly been consistently engaged, supportive and responsive,” Wasserman said. “That’s all you could ask for with what we’re trying to do.”
He also said that the organisers, who are working with 36 federal agencies, need a unified federal effort rather than “piecemeal” engagement.
Mr Trump has not shied away from the glare of the sport spotlight during his second term.
In May, he created a presidential task force for football’s 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
In February, Mr Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl and in July he was on the field in New Jersey to celebrate Chelsea's win in the Fifa Club World Cup. REUTERS