Paris, France
Thank you, Mayor Bass, for that kind introduction. And thank you, Casey, and the many elected officials across the country, for all you’ve done to advance LA 2028. Thanks to you, the Olympic flame will once again shine brightly in our country.
Ambassador Bauer and Dennis, every day you show the world the best of who we are as Americans, and I thank you for your leadership and friendship.
And Billie Jean King, it’s great to meet you. On and off the court, you always inspire us to chase our dreams.
We have some incredible performers here. Ludovic, I know your passion for music comes from your family, and through your trumpet, you’ve brought that family spirit to the Olympics.
We are also grateful to the performers of “Hip Hop 360” for moving us through their dance and reminding us how fluid and precise the human body can be.
Under Los Angeles’ endless blue skies, breakdancers glide across concrete plazas, surfers glide over crashing waves and rollerbladers spin in beachside skate parks.
This is a city where a new generation of dreamers are shaping our culture in music studios and film sets.
A city where communities from all over the world live side by side, cuisines blend, cultural boundaries blur, yet the city’s identity as one becomes brighter and clearer.
At the 2028 Olympics, Olympians and fans will see their images reflected in Los Angeles.
Add to that our enduring American warmth, hospitality and leadership, not to mention the experience, and this will be the third time Los Angeles has hosted the Olympic Games.
The last time Los Angeles hosted the Olympics, in 1984, we saw the first women’s Olympic marathon, the first wheelchair athlete in the Olympics, a perfect 10-point record in women’s gymnastics that won a gold medal, and the emergence of Michael Jordan, a rising athlete who had just completed his final collegiate season.
We’ve come a long way in these last 40 years, and I’m grateful that the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee is going to help us go even further over the next four years — for women, for Paralympians, and for all the kids who watch the games and then run out their backyard with a stopwatch to see if they can run as fast as Gabby Thomas.
Planning the Olympic and Paralympic Games is not a one-man job. It takes a huge effort to host 15,000 athletes, millions more spectators and venues for over 50 sports.
But thanks to our incredible team, the LA Games will bring the world together and propel a generation of athletes forward.
Just six years from now, we will gather in the snowy mountains of Utah to take part in the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. We are so excited that millions of people will have the opportunity to experience the grandeur of the Olympics. Best of luck to the SLC 34 team!
I had the honor of leading U.S. delegations to two Olympic Games, in Tokyo and Paris, witnessing U.S. teams win gold medals and experiencing the unique way Japan and France reach out to the world.
We look forward to extending that warm welcome to the United States.
But for now, we are in an amazing place, surrounded by generous people. Let us take in the incomparable beauty of Paris. And let us celebrate not just the momentary victories and star rises, but the years of hard work and teamwork that made it all possible. Thank you. And God bless.
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