The taskforce is meant to ensure a “safe, smooth and historically successful” Olympic and Paralympic Games. Whereas previous presidents traditionally played only ceremonial roles, Trump has now placed himself at the helm, alongside Vice President JD Vance and others. In typically Trumpian fashion, he declared: “We will win like never before.”

The real message, however, lay in his repeated endorsement of a previously signed executive order: transgender women are to be banned from competing in women’s categories at the Olympics. “There’s going to be a very, very strong form of testing,” Trump said. Those who fail the test, he added, won’t be allowed to compete. The US Olympic and Paralympic Committee has since confirmed that it has aligned its policy with Trump’s directive.

At a press briefing, Trump criticised journalists for not applauding the ban. “Nobody wants to clap? It’s crazy,” he said, after which hesitant clapping followed. He reiterated his claim that female athletes must be protected from “unfair competition”.

The Trump administration is also extending this policy to immigration: transgender women seeking to compete in women’s sports in the US now face greater difficulty obtaining a sports visa. According to the administration, it’s a matter of fairness and safety. Critics, however, see it as yet another attack on an already marginalised community.