US President Donald Trump speaks during the National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton in Washington, DC, on February 6, 2025. (Photo by Ting Shen / AFP)
A heated exchange erupted between U.S. President Donald Trump and Maine Governor Janet Mills over the president’s executive order barring transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
During a televised meeting with state governors at the White House, Trump defended his decision, stating, “Two weeks ago, I signed an executive order banning men from playing in women’s sports. Many Democrats are fighting me on that. I hope you continue because you’ll never win another race.”
Trump insisted the ban was necessary to “protect women” and challenged Mills on whether she would comply.
“I’m complying with state and federal laws,” Mills responded.
Trump, appearing frustrated, retorted, “Well, we are the federal law… You better do it, because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t.”
Mills fired back with “See you in court,” prompting Trump to respond, “Good, I’ll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one.”
Trump’s executive order authorizes federal agencies to withhold funding from schools that allow transgender athletes to compete on women’s teams. Maine officials, however, have maintained their commitment to allowing transgender students to choose their teams in line with state law under the Maine Human Rights Act.
Later that day, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced an investigation into Maine’s education policies, citing potential violations of Title IX, which prohibits gender-based discrimination in federally funded educational programs.
Mills denounced the move as a politically motivated attempt to strip Maine of federal funding, arguing, “This is not just about sports; this is about whether a President can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law.”
Transgender rights have been a key point of contention in U.S. politics, with Trump making it a central issue since his return to office. He has also vowed to push the International Olympic Committee to change its policies on transgender athletes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
