Olympic president says he’s not meeting with Trump over wildfire threat at 2028 LA Games
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach says he is not talking to President-elect Trump before he steps down later this year.
Bach told dpa international news that Trump congratulated him on the Republican’s election victory in November, but that he did not seek further contact.
“I don’t think it’s fair or right to seek a reunion with my successor and possibly influence decisions about my successor,” Bach said of not speaking with Trump.
The IOC has its own presidential election in March, with Bach due to leave office in June.
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Bach’s loss of ties to Trump comes as Los Angeles’ wildfires cast doubt on its ability to host the 2028 Summer Olympics.
As of now, there are no plans to move the 2028 Games from Los Angeles. In the year The 2028 Games were to be the first in history where the host city could not build any new venues due to the number of stadiums and venues in the city. But many of the sites were destroyed by fire.
Olympic venues close to areas affected by the fire include Riviera Country Club, Olympic Village, Pauley Pavilion and Rose Bowl Stadium.
The Washburn Fire burns on a hillside in Yosemite National Park, California, July 9, 2022. (Stephen Lamb/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
LA2028 chairman Casey Wasserman said in a statement that he is confident that Los Angeles will gather with Wildfire and not detract from the Olympics.
“Los Angeles is defined by tenacity and determination,” Wasserman said. “The strength of our communities and our unity in difficult times make this city special, and when Los Angeles welcomes the world in 2028, our spirit will shine brighter than ever.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom told NBC News that the state is “putting together a martial plan” to ensure the 2028 Olympics start in Los Angeles.
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“President Donald Trump was instrumental in bringing the Olympics to the United States — to bring them down here in LA. We’re thankful for that. This is an opportunity for him to shine, for this country to shine, for California and for this community to shine,” Newsom said.
“That’s why we’re organizing the Marshall Plan. We already have a team looking at it, rethinking LA 2.0 and making sure everyone is included.”
But the hope that the city will be able to host the Olympics after years of reconstruction has been criticized by some.
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said in an interview with Newsmax that he believes the Olympics should be moved to Republican-controlled cities and states.
“I think the American people really see how fragile that state is, how these tragic fires have been handled by the governor and actually the mayor in Los Angeles,” Jordan said.
Burned buildings in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood with smoke billowing from the Palisades Fire in the background on Jan. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Reuters/Mike Blake)
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk has also proposed moving the Olympics from Los Angeles in 2028, suggesting Dallas or Miami as the new host city.
“The Los Angeles Olympics should be canceled,” Kirk wrote on X. “If you can’t fill a fire hydrant, you’re not fit to host the Olympics. Move them to Dallas or Miami, somewhere that can safely build and run something for the world’s athletes to compete in.”
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Before the fire, Bach expressed his confidence in Trump to lead the preparations for the 2028 Olympics in early December.
“We are very confident there about the steps and the efforts that are being made,” Bach said at a press conference after the International Olympic Committee’s executive board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. “We’ve also seen President-elect Trump repeatedly voice his support for the Games, which we’ve had no doubts about since he announced it from the start.”
Bach added that Olympic leaders are “very confident and relaxed” about working with Trump.
People look at smoke and flames from the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on January 7, 2025 in Los Angeles. (Tiffany Rose/Getty Images)
Trump and Bach last met in June 2017 at the White House to discuss a proposal to bring the Olympics back to Los Angeles. Trump took credit for confirming the 2028 bid. However, Bach did not comment on Trump’s sarcasm after the first meeting.
Bach was heard saying “pray for our world” on a cell phone in Washington DC that day
Now Trump will be responsible for leading the United States to host the Olympics, one of the worst disasters in host city history. He will have to make decisions without any consultation with the sitting IOC president until a new one is elected.
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