President Trump plans to create a task force Tuesday that would boost the federal government’s hand in preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, a city where officials have a strained relationship with the president.
On Tuesday, Mr. Trump is scheduled to sign an executive order creating a White House task force for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, a White House official said.
The task force will focus on security along with other logistics for the Olympic Games, which are scheduled to begin in July 2028 and will be followed by the Summer Paralympics in August.
The Department of Homeland Security has classified the games as a National Special Security Event, a designation given to high-profile events to coordinate security plans with the F.B.I., the Secret Service and other federal agencies.
It was unclear how closely the task force will work with local officials in Los Angeles, a city led by Democrats. The Trump administration has had a strained relationship with leaders across Southern California, which has been the target of widespread immigration raids that began in June.
A temporary restraining order has barred federal agents from making immigration arrests in the region without probable cause, and Los Angeles and several other cities joined a lawsuit seeking to stop the raids.
Planning for the Olympics comes as Los Angeles faces a budget crisis worsened by two devastating wildfires in January that destroyed thousands of homes in Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Organizing the Olympics in any city is a massive undertaking that involves preparing for thousands of athletes and tourists, but officials in Los Angeles have said they are confident the games will be a success.
In a statement on Monday, Casey Wasserman, the chairman of the Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee, thanked Mr. Trump and his administration for their “leadership and unwavering support” ahead of the games.
The games will mark the first time an American city has hosted the Summer Olympics since Atlanta did in 1996. A deadly pipe bomb exploded during the games at Centennial Olympic Park and injured many.
Los Angeles had previously hosted the games in 1932 and 1984. The 2028 Olympics will be held at venues across Southern California, including Long Beach, Inglewood, Carson and Arcadia. At least two events, canoe slalom and softball, will be played outside of California in Oklahoma City.
Jesus Jiménez is a Times reporter covering Southern California.
The post Trump to Create Task Force for L.A. Olympics on Security appeared first on New York Times.