 "'See you in court': Maine Guv Janet Mills challenges Trump's athlete ban")
In a show of defiance, Maine Governor Janet Mills confronted US President Donald Trump during a White House meeting on Friday, challenging his executive order that bars transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports.
During the discussion with a bipartisan group of governors, Trump abruptly brought up the issue and asked if Maine was represented. “Yeah,” Mills responded. “I’m here.”
The president then inquired whether she would comply with the directive. Mills replied firmly, “I’m complying with state and federal laws.”
Trump asserted, “We are the federal law,” and warned that failure to adhere to his order could result in the loss of federal funding. “You better comply, you better comply, because, otherwise, you're not getting any federal funding,” he warned.
Refusing to back down, Mills retorted, “See you in court.”
Trump responded, “Good. I’ll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one.” After a brief pause, he added, “And enjoy your life after governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.”
The exchange underscored Trump’s efforts to reshape federal policies on gender in sports, a move strongly supported by Republican lawmakers. His administration maintains that barring transgender female athletes from women’s sports ensures fairness, while critics argue that it unfairly targets a marginalised group.
Shortly after Mills’ challenge, the US Department of Education informed Maine’s Education Commissioner, Pender Makin, that it had initiated a “directed investigation” into the state’s handling of the matter. The notice referenced reports that a school had permitted “at least one male student to compete in girls’ categories".
Meanwhile, the Maine Principals’ Association reaffirmed its stance of allowing transgender female athletes to compete in high school sports, in line with the Maine Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity. However, the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights launched an investigation, arguing that Maine’s policy violates federal anti-discrimination laws by permitting 'male' athletes to compete in girls’ sports. The department warned that failure to align with the Trump administration’s interpretation of Title IX could jeopardise the state’s federal education funding.
Governor Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey have vowed to challenge the federal investigation, calling it politically driven. Mills insisted that Maine “will not be intimidated” and pledged to take legal action if federal funds are withheld. She framed the issue as more than just a debate over sports, arguing that it represents an attempt by the president to impose compliance without regard for legal principles.
Trump’s executive order, signed earlier this month, authorises federal agencies to enforce compliance with his administration’s interpretation of Title IX, which defines 'sex' as based on birth assignment. Schools and organisations that refuse to comply risk losing federal funding.