Trump and Maine Governor Clash Over Transgender Athlete Policies

President Donald Trump’s Tense Exchange with Maine Governor Over Transgender Athlete Funding

In a heated gathering of governors at the White House on Friday, President Donald Trump and Maine’s Democratic Governor Janet Mills engaged in a sharp exchange over Trump’s intentions to cut federal funding for states that support transgender athletes. Governor Mills boldly challenged the president, stating, “We’ll see you in court.”

Trump responded to Mills’ defiance by predicting it would mark the end of her political career, asserting that her opposition to his directive would not bode well for her future. Following this clash, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would investigate Maine’s educational policies on transgender athletes.

The confrontation emerged after a series of public disagreements between Trump and Mills concerning his advocacy against transgender athletes participating in girls’ and women’s sports. This breaking of traditional politeness during a State Dining Room event marked a rare departure from the typical decorum shared by lawmakers from opposing parties while at the White House.

During his remarks welcoming the governors, Trump highlighted an executive order he signed earlier in the month concerning transgender athletes, directly calling out Mills, whom he had criticized previously in front of the Republican Governors Association.

“Is Maine here, the governor of Maine?” Trump inquired.

“I’m here,” came Mills’ reply.

“Are you not going to comply with it?” Trump pressed.

“I’m complying with state and federal laws,” Mills countered.

Trump bristled, “We are the federal law,” and repeated a threat to withdraw federal funding, claiming that most Maine residents support his stance.

Mills stood firm, declaring, “We’re going to follow the law.”

Trump insisted, “You’d better comply. Otherwise, you’re not getting any federal funding.”

“We’ll see you in court,” Mills retorted.

“Good, I’ll see you in court,” Trump countered confidently. “That’s an easy one, and I don’t see you in elected politics afterwards.”

Earlier in the week, Trump made similar threats at a Republican governors’ event, promising to withhold funding from Maine if transgender sports policies remained unchanged.

“We’re not giving them any federal funding—none—until this is resolved,” Trump stated.

The Maine Principals’ Association, responsible for high school sports governance in the state, has maintained that transgender female athletes can compete, in line with the Maine Human Rights Act’s anti-discrimination policies.

Later on Friday, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights informed Maine’s Department of Education of an impending investigation into gender-based participation in interscholastic athletics, claiming it violated federal anti-discrimination laws.

The Department of Education emphasized that federal anti-discrimination regulations, including Title IX, take precedence over state laws, warning that federal education funds could be at risk if not followed.

Meanwhile, Mills vowed to collaborate with the attorney general to legally defend the state, casting doubt on the investigation’s objectivity and predicting Maine won’t be the last state targeted by Trump’s policies.

“This goes beyond athletic competition—it challenges whether a President can impose his will without regard to the rule of law,” Mills asserted.

Before the tense White House exchange, Mills and Maine’s Attorney General Aaron Frey had already rebutted Trump’s earlier remarks.

Mills assured Trump that the state “will not be intimidated,” insisting that she and the attorney general would take all necessary legal actions to ensure federal funding for Maine’s schoolchildren remains intact.

Frey pledged to “defend Maine’s laws and oppose the president’s intimidation efforts.”

Trump’s recently signed executive order grants federal agencies discretion to enforce compliance with Title IX under an interpretation aligning with Trump’s administration, viewing “sex” based on birth-assigned gender.

Non-compliance from entities such as schools or sports associations could lead to loss of federal support, including educational grants.