International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach says he will not communicate with President-elect Trump until he leaves office later this year.
Bach told DPA International News that he congratulated Trump on the Republican’s election victory in November, but he has not sought any other communication beyond that.
“I don’t think it would be right or proper, as far as my successor is concerned, to seek contact again now and perhaps influence any decisions that then rest with 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 lack of communication with Trump comes as the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles have called into question whether Los Angeles will host the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Right now, there are no plans to move the 2028 Games out of Los Angeles. The 2028 Games were to be the first in history where the host city did not have to build new venues due to the number of stadiums and arenas in the city. But many of the areas where these venues are located have been destroyed by fires.
Olympic venues near areas affected by the fires 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 Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
LA2028 chairman Casey Wasserman said in a statement that he was confident that Los Angeles would rally from the wildfires and that they would not undercut the Olympics.
“Los Angeles is defined by its resilience and determination,” Wasserman said. “The strength of our community and our unity in tough times make this city extraordinary, and when Los Angeles welcomes the world in 2028, our spirit will shine brighter than ever before.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom told NBC News that the state is “organizing a Marshall Plan” to ensure the Olympics can still begin in Los Angeles in 2028.
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“President Donald Trump was instrumental in bringing the Olympics to the United States — to bring it down here in LA. We thank him for that. This is an opportunity for him to shine, for this country to shine, for California and this community to shine,” Newsom said.
“That’s why we’re already organizing a Marshall Plan. We already have a team looking for, recreating LA 2.0, and we’re making sure everyone is included.”
But the prospect of the city hosting the Olympics amid what is expected to be years of rebuilding 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 a Republican-controlled city and state.
“I think the American people can rightly see how poorly the state is run, how poorly these tragic fires have been handled by the governor and of course the mayor there in Los Angeles,” Jordan said.
Burnt buildings in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood as smoke from the Palisades fire rises in the background in Los Angeles on January 10, 2025. (Reuters/Mike Blake)
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk has also proposed moving the Olympics out of 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 hydrant, you’re not qualified to host the Olympics. Move them to Dallas or Miami so the world’s athletes can compete in one place, who can actually safely build and run something.”
Before the fires, Bach expressed confidence in Trump’s ability to lead the organization of the 2028 Olympics in early December.
“We are very hopeful there in terms of the steps and efforts that are being taken,” Bach said at a news conference after an International Olympic Committee board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. “We also saw that President-elect Trump repeatedly declared his support for the Games, which we never doubted because he has declared that support from the very beginning.”
Bach added that Olympic leaders are “very confident and relaxed” about working with Trump.
People watch the 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 when they discussed an effort to bring the Olympics back to Los Angeles. Trump has taken credit for securing the 2028 bid. However, Bach did not speak flatteringly of Trump after the first meeting.
“Pray for our world,” Bach was heard saying on a cellphone call later that day in Washington, DC
Now Trump will be tasked with leading America’s host city for the Olympics after one of the worst disasters in the host city’s history. He will have to make decisions without consulting the incumbent IOC president until a new one is elected.
