Some Donald Trump allies have urged that the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics be moved to a conservative city, but the president-elect reportedly pledged to ensure the Games stay right where they are.
In a meeting late Wednesday with LA Olympics organizers at Mar-a-Lago, Trump vowed to support the Games in the city’s comeback from devastating wildfires still ravaging the area, Axios reported.
A source briefed on the meeting told Axios that Trump reassured LA28 chair Casey Wasserman: “These are America’s Olympics. These are more important than ever to LA and I’m going to be supportive in every way possible and make them the greatest games.”
Some conservatives have used the disaster to lobby for the Games to be relocated to a conservative city.
Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty told Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) that alleged mismanagement during the blazes indicated that the Olympics should be relocated to a “red city … where you know things are gonna be run properly.”
Jordan agreed. “Yeah, especially when they’re spending time, quote, ‘Trump-proofing’ their state, looking for ways to set up barriers and obstacles to what the American people elected us to do,” he said. The lawmaker did allow, however, that he would leave it up to Trump on that front.
Far-right commentator Charlie Kirk, joining the conservative pile-on over LA’s fire woes, advocated for moving the Games as well. The prospect of whether the flame-ravaged city could actually lose the Games was entertained in a recent Newsweek article.
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Trump has led GOP finger-pointing amid the catastrophe, making false claims while blaming Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom for the massive blazes and demanding he resign.
But he still appears to be on board with the LA Games, which were awarded to the city during his first term.
“As a lifelong Angeleno, I shared our sentiments for President-elect Trump’s continued support in Los Angeles amid the devastation in our region,” Wasserman told Axios.