Republican Senator Ted Cruz has threatened USA Fencing with congressional consequences after the organisation reaffirmed its policy supporting the inclusion of transgender women in competitive sport.
USA Fencing came under right-wing scrutiny after athlete Stephanie Turner, 31, refused to compete against trans competitor Redmond Sullivan at last month’s Cherry Blossom Open tournament at the University of Maryland. Turner instead took a knee in protest and was subsequently disqualified for breaching International Fencing Federation (FIE) rules, which prohibit athletes from refusing to face an eligible opponent.
Despite false reports in several conservative media outlets that claimed Turner was penalised for “transphobia,” USA Fencing clarified that the disqualification was purely due to her refusal to compete, not her personal beliefs.
In response to the incident, Cruz, who currently chairs the US Senate’s Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, issued a strongly worded open letter to USA Fencing CEO Phil Andrew. In it, the Texas senator argued that the governing body was breaking federal law by allowing what he described as “men” to compete in women’s fencing.
“USA Fencing’s commitment to ‘inclusivity’ is nothing less than full-throated support for males competing in women’s sports in violation of federal law,” Cruz wrote. “As the recognised National Governing Body (NGB) for fencing, USA Fencing is required to provide ‘support and encouragement for participation by women where separate programs for male and female athletes are conducted on a national basis.’
“Failure to do so is grounds for the United States Congress to terminate USA Fencing’s certification as an NGB.”
Cruz cited Donald Trump’s February 2025 executive order targeting trans women’s participation in sport, claiming USA Fencing was in breach. However, executive orders are not laws and do not automatically override existing federal legislation unless followed by congressional action.
As of now, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), which Cruz referenced in his letter, has not made any policy changes that explicitly ban trans women from female competitions.
Cruz’s remarks are part of a broader pattern. During his 2024 Senate campaign, he released a misleading attack ad targeting trans wrestler Mack Beggs, falsely claiming Beggs competed against cisgender girls to gain a competitive advantage. In reality, Beggs was forced to wrestle against girls under a Texas regulation that prevented him from competing in line with his gender identity.
Beggs has since stated he plans to take legal action against Cruz over the ad, calling it “defamation” and a “false narrative.”
