Introduction to LA28 Board Expansion

The LA28 committee, responsible for organizing the upcoming Olympic Games, has added several high-profile Republicans with deep ties to President Trump to its board of directors. This move has raised questions about the president’s involvement in the 2028 Games.

New Board Members

The 35-member volunteer board now includes former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Bakersfield Republican who resigned in 2023, and Reince Priebus, who served as Trump’s chief of staff for the first six months of his first term and, before that, as chair of the Republican National Committee.
Diane Hendricks, a major GOP donor who has given millions to Trump’s campaigns, and Patrick Dumont, who owns the Dallas Mavericks, also joined the board, as did Ken Moelis, an investment banker who worked with Trump in the 1990s and predicted he would win the presidency in 2016.

Selection Process and Criteria

It is not clear why the directors expanded the board or what criteria they used in the selection process. A spokesperson for LA28 did not immediately respond to questions.

Other New Board Members

Not all of the new board members are tied to the president. Los Angeles business consultant Denita Willoughby and philanthropist Maria Hummer-Tuttle also were named to LA28.
Kevin McCarthy
(Associated Press)
“We are thrilled to welcome this accomplished group to the LA28 Board who will help create an unforgettable Games for athletes and fans alike,” Casey Wasserman, chair of the organizing committee, said in a prepared statement.

President Trump’s Involvement

Although past presidents have taken a largely ceremonial role when the Olympics are held on U.S. soil, there are signs that Trump is seeking more involvement. The 2028 Games coincide with his final year in office. In August, he signed an executive order naming himself chair of a White House task force on the Games. The president views the event as “a premier opportunity to showcase American exceptionalism,” according to a White House statement.

Security and Support

Trump at the time noted that he’d be willing to send the military to Los Angeles to protect the Games. In June, he sent the National Guard and U.S. Marines to the city amid escalating immigration enforcement actions, prompting pushback from Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Wasserman attended the executive order signing at the White House and thanked Trump for “leaning in” to planning for the Olympics.
“You’ve been supportive and helpful every step of the way,” Wasserman told the president. “With the creation of this task force, we’ve unlocked the opportunity to level up our planning and deliver the largest and, yes, greatest Games for our nation, ever.”

Conclusion

The addition of high-profile Republicans with ties to President Trump to the LA28 board of directors has sparked interest in the president’s potential involvement in the 2028 Games. As the Games approach, it will be important to monitor the role of the president and his administration in the planning and execution of the event.

FAQs

• Q: Who are the new members of the LA28 board of directors?
  A: The new members include Kevin McCarthy, Reince Priebus, Diane Hendricks, Patrick Dumont, Ken Moelis, Denita Willoughby, and Maria Hummer-Tuttle.
• Q: What is President Trump’s role in the 2028 Games?
  A: President Trump has signed an executive order naming himself chair of a White House task force on the Games and has expressed his willingness to send the military to Los Angeles to protect the Games.
• Q: What is the significance of the 2028 Games?
  A: The 2028 Games coincide with President Trump’s final year in office and are seen as an opportunity for the president to showcase American exceptionalism.