(ATR) United States President Donald Trump says he is behind the Los Angeles 2024 Olympic bid.
"I’ve been asked to support [the bid] and I’ve spoken to the [International] Olympic Committee in Europe," President Trump told Jim Gray of Westwood One Sports on Super Bowl Sunday.
"They wanted to have an endorsement from me and I gave it to them very loud and clear. I would love to see the Olympics go to Los Angeles and I think that it would be terrific."
He says the call to the IOC was prompted by members of the U.S. Olympic Committee and that he believes he’s helped the cause during his conversation with Olympic leaders.
When asked if his executive order barring citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. would negatively impact the bid, President Trump simply said "I don’t know". He defended the executive order touting its security benefits.
"We have to have security in our country," President Trump said. "We have to know who’s coming into our country and we have to have people that are coming in with good intentions.
"If people are coming in with bad intentions I want to be able to find out before they get here."
The President was also asked whether he supported a ban of Russia from the next Olympics in PyeongChang and Tokyo due to the state-sponsored doping program. President Trump avoided condemning Russian sport and said he would leave the decision to Olympic leaders.
"I think that’s going to be really up to the various Olympic Committees, they’ve taken a very strong stand and that’s going to be up to them much more so than me so we’ll see what they have to say."
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who arranged the November phone call between Trump and IOC president Thomas Bach, tells Around the Rings the new President is in favor of the bid.
"He’s been incredibly supportive and also is establishing a more direct relationship with the IOC. I’m confident that will continue," the mayor said in an interview Feb. 2. Garcetti, a leading figure in the Democratic Party, says the differences in politics between him and the Republican President won't be a problem.
"That’s one of the wonderful things about the Games and how they transcend politics. And I feel confident we have the support of the federal government, whether it’s making sure that athletes can come in, or that people visiting feel welcome. There is no more welcoming city globally – internationally – than Los Angeles," says Garcetti.
Los Angeles is competing with Paris, France and Budapest, Hungary to host the Summer Olympics.
The IOC vote is Sep. 13 at the Session in Lima.
Click here to listen to the full interview with President Trump and Westwood One Sports.
Written by Kevin Nutley
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