Trump signs executive order banning trans women from sports teams
President Trump signed an executive order barring transgender women and girls from playing on school sports teams.
WASHINGON ― President Donald Trump and Maine Gov. Janet Mills clashed Friday at the White House over the president’s threat to withhold federal funds from states that allow transgender athletes to play in girls and women sports.
By the end of the heated exchange, the Democratic governor threatened to sue the president over the issue.
“We’ll see you in court,” Mills said.
Speaking to the National Governors Association, Trump singled out Mills while talking about his executive order signed this month banning transgender women from women sports. Trump has put schools and states “on notice” that they could lose federal funding if they don’t follow it.
The Maine Principal’s Association, which oversees high school sports in Maine, has said it won’t comply with Trump’s order because it conflicts with state anti-discrimination laws protecting transgender people.
“Is Maine here? The governor of Maine?” Trump said, before locating Mills seated nearby at a table in the White House State Dining Room. “Are you not going to comply with it?”
Mills replied, “I’m going to comply with state and federal law.”
“We are the federal law,” Trump responded. “You better do it because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t. And by the way, your population ‒ even though it’s somewhat liberal, although I did very well there ‒ your population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports.”
Mills then said, “We’re going to follow the law, sir. We’ll see you in court.”
Trump got the last word in the back and forth. “Enjoy your life after, governor, because I don’t think you’ll be an elected official afterwards.”
Trump’s Feb 5 “keeping men out of sports” executive order directed the Department of Education to pursue “enforcement actions” under Title IX, the federal law prohibiting discrimination based on sex in educational institutions, and adopt rules “clearly specifying and clarifying that women’s sports are reserved for women.”
Trump’s order came after eliminating transgender athletes from women sports became a rallying cry for Republicans during the 2024 election.
NCAA President Charlie Baker immediately announced the body governing college athletics will take necessary steps to comply with the order. But at the state level regarding high school athletics, Maine has not.
Shortly after Trump’s exchange with Mills, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights launched investigations into the Maine Department of Education and a local school district in the state, accusing each of allowing transgender athletes to play in girl’s sports. The Trump administration threatened to pull all federal funding from both entities – a consequence never before imposed on a district – if they don’t comply with its new interpretation of Title IX.
Trump also brought up Maine during remarks Thursday night at the Republican Governor’s Association meeting in Washington. “I heard men are still playing in Maine. Is anybody here from Maine?” Trump said. “Well, I hate to tell you this, but we’re not going to give them any federal money.”
Following Trump’s comments Thursday, Mills issued statement saying “the state of Maine will not be intimidated by the President’s threats.”
“If the President attempts to unilaterally deprive Maine school children of the benefit of Federal funding,” Mills said, “my Administration and the Attorney General will take all appropriate and necessary legal action to restore that funding and the academic opportunity it provides.”
Contributing Zach Schermele. Reach Joey Garrison on X @joeygarrison.
(This story has been updated to add new information.)