Comment Comment: Brace yourself for Trump's L.A. 'MAGAlympics' in 2028 [View all]

By Erika D. Smith / Bloomberg Opinion

Los Angeles has been busily preparing to host the Summer Olympics and Paralympics three years from now, a process that will require billions of dollars in private and public investment. But there are new uncertainties, now that President Donald Trump has signed an executive order making himself chair of the task force charged with handling security, transportation and coordination with state and local officials for the Games.

There are questions about how exactly the back-to-back megaevents will come together; and under whose authority. How expansive will Trump’s role be? Will he send in National Guard troops to patrol the streets, scaring tourists and residents alike? Will there be daily federal immigration raids, with masked agents operating with impunity? How much gilded golden trim will adorn the opening ceremonies?

In short, will Trump, an avid fan of both sports and being the center of attention, meddle so much that he turns the Games from a source of national pride to a polarizing, MAGA-fied spectacle?

He’s tried to do this before, after all. By appointing himself chair of the Kennedy Center Honors, Trump was able to keep out supposedly “woke” artists, in favor of some of his personal favorites. Before that, there was the parade celebrating the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army, which happened to fall on his birthday. Fears that he’ll do something similar to the Olympics have been quietly building for months in Los Angeles. It’s only recently, with Trump’s executive order, that they’ve exploded into public view.

https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-brace-yourself-for-trumps-l-a-magalympics-in-2028/