‘Political cowardice’: Joe Biden silently opposed males in women’s sports as president, NY Times report says

It turns out that former President Joe Biden agreed with about 80% of the country on keeping men out of women’s sports – he just never did anything about it.

The former president’s stance was reported by the New York Times this week.

The one-term Democratic president never spoke publicly about the issue, even as males dominated women’s sports during the four years he was in office.

However, unlike many in his administration, Biden reportedly disliked that it was happening. He was willing to let men use women’s bathrooms and private spaces but considered sports differently. 

“On the other side were administration officials who believed that the competitive, zero-sum nature of sports made them different from bathrooms – that some transgender athletes would enjoy unfair physical advantages over women,” the report said. “Most important, one of the officials holding this view was Biden himself.” 

A former administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told the Times, “The president was particularly focused on the competition issue.” 

A January 2025 New York Times poll found that 79% of Americans oppose transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, while only 18% support it. Most Democratic politicians support the practice, even though many Democratic voters oppose it. 

The recent report sparked criticism from conservatives, who called Biden cowardly. 

Outkick reporter Dan Zaksheske said the former president chose his party’s radical fringe over the American people. 

“Joe Biden reportedly opposed males in women’s sports behind the scenes, but never said anything publicly for fear of upsetting the radical left-wingers in the Democrat Party that oppose common sense,” Zaksheske posted. “Political cowardice by the former President.” 

Maine State Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, who was censured for speaking out against transgender athletes in women’s sports this year, expressed a similar sentiment. 

“Political cowardice in the highest office allowed our women and girls to be discriminated against for YEARS,” wrote Libby, who is fighting her censure in court. 

Former NCAA All-American swimmer Kaitlynn Wheeler added that Biden deserves no credit for his private position. 

“So NOW Biden quietly admits he wasn’t for men in women’s sports after spending his ENTIRE presidency forcing girls like me to compete & change with them?” Wheeler posted. “That’s performative politics at its worst. We begged. We pleaded. We were ignored. Now he wants credit? Too little, too late.” 

An X user responded to the revelation, “Much better to upset the voters in each and every swing state instead of the loony fringe of your own party. That worked out great, didn’t it?” 

Another wrote, “And that’s why Biden will go down as the worst president in US history. Not an ounce of integrity. Not a bit of courage. He had granddaughters who competed in sports. He knew the right thing to do but was too scared.”