The radical Democrats are digging in their heels. They are waging war against Trump.
But a Democrat governor was just smacked with a serious ultimatum by the President they can’t afford to ignore.
Trump Threatens to Withhold Federal Funds from Maine Over Gender Identity in Sports
On Thursday, President Donald Trump made a bold announcement that Maine would face a halt in federal funding unless the state aligns with his recent executive order banning men from competing in women’s sports. This move signals a deepening divide between the state’s stance on gender identity in sports and the Trump administration’s position.
Trump’s executive order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” specifically targets transgender-identifying men who wish to compete in women’s athletic competitions. The order references Title IX, the landmark legislation that prohibits s*x-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities, including sports. Under the directive, Trump called for federal agencies to withhold funds from any public school that prioritizes gender identity over biological s*x in their sports policies.
Maine, a state governed by a Democrat administration, was among the first to signal its non-compliance with the order, which led to Trump’s strong remarks. Speaking to a group of Republican governors in Washington, D.C., Trump expressed his disapproval of the state’s stance.
“I heard men are still playing in Maine,” Trump said. “I hate to tell you this, but we’re not going to give them any federal money. They are still saying, ‘We want men to play in women’s sports,’ and I can not believe that they’re doing that. So we’re not going to give them any federal funding, none whatsoever, until they clean that up.”
Trump’s comments were in response to the stance taken by the Maine Principals’ Association, which governs high school sports in the state. The organization stated that it would adhere to Maine’s Human Rights Act, which protects gender identity, even if it conflicts with the new federal order. Mike Burnham, the executive director of the Maine Principals’ Association, explained this position during an interview with local radio station Maine Public, saying, “The executive order and our Maine state Human Rights Act are in conflict, and the Maine Principal’s Association will continue to follow state law as it pertains to gender identity.”
The issue has gained traction in Maine, particularly after Republican lawmaker Laurel Libby posted a controversial photo on social media. The image showed a male athlete winning a pole vaulting event in a female high school competition. The faces of the girls were blurred, but the male athlete’s face was visible. Libby, who shared the post, refused to take it down despite requests from Democratic leaders in the state. Following Trump’s remarks, Libby expressed her approval, stating, “President Trump pledges to step in to protect girls’ sports in Maine and clean up the failure by both the Maine Principals’ Association and the Maine Democrat Majority!”
Maine is not alone in facing pressure to comply with the new executive order. Athletic associations in other states, such as California and Minnesota, have also expressed opposition to Trump’s directive, citing state laws that prioritize gender identity. The U.S. Department of Education has launched investigations into these states for potential violations of Title IX. Federal law takes precedence over state law in this context, meaning these athletic bodies could face repercussions if they continue to ignore the federal directive.
In contrast, other high school sports organizations, including the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, have already aligned with Trump’s order. Wisconsin announced that it would no longer allow transgender-identifying men to compete in women’s sports, a significant shift from the state’s previous stance, which allowed such participation starting in 2013.
Trump’s executive order, signed on National Girls and Women in Sports Day earlier this month, also has the support of female athletes who participated in the signing ceremony. One of the significant effects of this move has been seen within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which promptly revised its policy on transgender participation in sports. The NCAA’s updated guidelines now prevent men from competing in women’s sports, although they can still practice together. The association acknowledged that Trump’s order “provides a clear, national standard” and has committed to following it despite having its own pre-existing policy.
The controversy surrounding transgender athletes in women’s sports has become a national issue. A recent study by the United Nations revealed that more than 600 female athletes across 29 sports lost out on nearly 900 medals to transgender-identifying men. The study highlighted the biological advantages that men possess over women in certain sports, fueling further debate about fairness in competitive athletics.
Public opinion surveys conducted in the United States have found that a vast, vast majority of voting Americans believe that biological men should never be allowed to compete in women’s sports under any circumstance. One Gallup survey found that nearly 90% of all voting Americans held this belief, including a majority of Democrat-identified Americans.
Several lawsuits were filed against Donald Trump and his White House administration in the wake of his executive order protecting women’s sports. So far, the lower courts have upheld Donald Trump’s order as constitutional, finding no authoritarian nature in the order despite what the far-Left is saying.
The Federalist Wire will update you on any major legal updates on Trump’s executive orders.
