Riley Gaines cheers on Trump speech touting end of men in women’s sports
Former championship swimmer-turned-women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines clapped in celebration as President Donald Trump touted his recent executive order to ban men from playing women’s sports.
In a speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, Trump mentioned the Feb. 5 executive order while detailing his accomplishments since returning to the Oval Office in January.
“I also signed an executive order to ban men from playing in women’s sports,” Trump said of his executive order as Gaines stood and clapped.
Joining Gaines in standing and clapping were political commentators Matt Walsh and Ben Shapiro. Walsh produced the film What Is A Woman?, which went viral in 2022 when it was released digitally on DailyWire+.
While speaking about the executive order, Trump honored former volleyball player Payton McNabb, who was injured after taking a hit to the head from an opposing male player.
“Payton is here tonight in the gallery, and Payton, from now on, schools will kick the men off the girls team or they will lose all federal funding,” Trump said. “We’re not going to put up with it any longer.”
RILEY GAINES FEELS ‘VINDICATED’ SINCE TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON WOMEN’S SPORTS
Gaines visited Capitol Hill in February and was present for Trump’s signing of the executive order.
“To see President Trump’s decisive action today … it was a campaign promise of his, issue number 17 on his platform: No men in women sports,” Gaines said of attending the signing ceremony. “I can’t tell you what that means to me. Three years does not seem like a long time, but I feel vindicated, and I feel this overwhelming feeling of gratitude. Every day since Jan. 20, I have been overwhelmed by God’s mercy that we certainly do not deserve.”
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