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Trump Administration Clashes With Maine Over Transgender Athlete Policies

President Trump threatens to withhold federal funding as Maine Governor Janet Mills resists executive order banning transgender athletes in women’s sports.

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WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 21: Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME) reacts after challenging U.S. President Donald Trump over federal law on the issue of trans women in sports as Trump addressed a meeting of governors at the White House on February 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump is hosting a bipartisan group of Governors for a working session at the White House as part The National Governors Association winter meetings. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, speaks with a colleague, Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at the State House in Augusta, Maine.

Overview

  • President Trump signed an executive order on February 5 banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports, citing fairness for female athletes.
  • Maine Governor Janet Mills has refused to comply with the order, leading to a public confrontation with Trump during a governors’ meeting at the White House.
  • The U.S. Department of Education and other federal agencies have launched Title IX and civil rights investigations into Maine and three other states over noncompliance with the order.
  • Republican Maine lawmaker Laurel Libby was censured for posting photos of a transgender high school athlete online, sparking criticism from both parties over her use of a minor’s image.
  • The executive order also includes measures to restrict visas for transgender athletes ahead of the 2028 Olympics, raising concerns about broader implications for transgender rights.