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LA28 - Yesterday, it was revealed that Mayor Karen Bass has effectively allowed Donald Trump to take control of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
First and foremost, the Los Angeles City Council must publicly acknowledge that the city is not in a sound financial position to host the 2028 Olympics. In plain English: the City of Los Angeles is not fiscally sound and lacks the necessary reserve funds to meet its current, everyday obligations.
Yes, Mayor Bass inherited a significant budget deficit from former Mayor Eric Garcetti. But she has compounded the problem through her own poor decisions—particularly a lack of accountability surrounding the billions of taxpayer dollars allocated for housing and services for the homeless population.
In recent weeks, Mayor Bass voiced opposition to the deployment of the U.S. Marines and California National Guard in Los Angeles during a controversial federal immigration sweep that saw ICE, Border Patrol, and other federal agents rounding up Latino and Hispanic community members—many of whom were U.S. citizens. These were dark and painful days for our city.
And now we’ve learned that Trump’s so-called “Great, Beautiful Bill,” which previously slashed Medicaid and stripped millions of low-income Americans of healthcare coverage, is somehow allocating $1 billion to offset the cost of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
When did Mayor Karen Bass become aware of this billion-dollar Olympic allocation?
Why would she support it—knowing that the funds come at the expense of medical coverage for the nation’s most vulnerable?
The residents and taxpayers of Los Angeles should rise up and demand that the 2028 Olympics not be held in our city.
To add insult to injury, President Trump (or as some now call him, “King Trump”) signed an executive order creating a Los Angeles Olympic Federal Task Force. He named himself Chair, with Vice President J.D. Vance as Vice Chair. Members include Casey Wasserman and none other than Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
How could any Angeleno forget the hateful, divisive comments Noem made about members of our diverse Los Angeles community?
Casey Wasserman, now on this Trump-led task force, stated:
“This task force marks an important step forward in our planning efforts and reflects our shared commitment to delivering not just the biggest, but the greatest Games the world has ever seen in the summer of 2028.”
Trump, for his part, suggested the possible deployment of military and federal officers during the Games “to maintain order.”
Will we once again see heavily armed ICE and Border Patrol agents patrolling Los Angeles streets—targeting people based on the color of their skin?
What will the rest of the world think of Los Angeles?
Is Casey Wasserman now saying he can't organize the Olympics without Trump’s task force?
Mayor Bass declared at a recent press conference that she’s backing Trump "100 percent."
Los Angeles is one of the most diverse cities in the world—something we take great pride in. So where are our City Council members now? Why haven’t they spoken up?
If Trump wants to run the Olympics, let him take them to Florida or Texas.
Los Angeles cannot afford to host the 2028 Olympic Games.
Former Mayor Tom Bradley, who led the city during the successful 1984 Olympics, never had to run to the President for help. The city pulled it off with pride and competence. The 1984 Games even left behind a financial surplus that still funds youth programs today.
Peter Ueberroth, the chair of the organizing committee back then, also did an outstanding job. Neighborhoods near USC thrived during the Games. Residents opened their driveways for parking and served low-cost BBQ to eventgoers—a true community celebration.
Maybe what Los Angeles needs now is for the spirit of Mayor Tom Bradley to rise again—to remind today’s leaders how a city is supposed to be run.
