Trump administration sues Maine over participation of transgender athletes in girls sports

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER ERIC TUCKER and PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press WASHINGTON AP The Trump administration on Wednesday sued Maine for not complying with the executive s push to ban transgender athletes in girls and women s sports escalating a dispute over whether the state is abiding by a federal law that bars discrimination in schooling based on sex The lawsuit follows weeks of feuding between the Republican administration and Democratic Gov Janet Mills that has led to threats to cut off crucial federal funding and a clash at the White House when she narrated President Donald Trump We ll see you in court Related Articles Trump says he s joining Bessent and Lutnick for exchange negotiations with Japanese at the White House RFK Jr s mixed message about the measles outbreaks draws criticism from wellness agents California will sue to stop Trump from imposing sweeping tariffs Review of decision not to award Space Command to Alabama inconclusive with Trump reversal expected Texas judge throws out rule that would have capped credit card late fees The political overtones of the moment were clear with Attorney General Pam Bondi and several athletes who joined her on stage at the Justice Department citing the matter as a priority for Trump Bondi reported other states including Minnesota and California could be sued as well This has been a huge issue for him Bondi commented of the president Pretty simple girls play in girls sports boys play in boys sports Women play in women s sports men play in men s sports Trump campaigned against the participation of transgender athletes in sports in his race As president he has signed executive orders to do that and to use a rigid definition of the sexes rather than gender for federal cabinet purposes The orders are being challenged in court Trump s departments of Teaching and Fitness and Human Services have stated Maine s training agency is violating the federal Title IX antidiscrimination law by allowing transgender girls to participate on girls teams The Justice Department is asking the court to order the state to direct all schools to prohibit the participation of males in athletic competition designated for females Maine administrators have refused to agree with a settlement that would have banned transgender students from sports arguing that the law does not prevent schools from letting transgender athletes participate Mills reported Wednesday that the lawsuit was expected and is part of a pressure campaign by Washington to force Maine to ignore its own human rights laws This matter has never been about school sports or the protection of women and girls as has been claimed it is about states rights and defending the rule of law against a federal establishment bent on imposing its will instead of upholding the law Mills stated in a message FILE Democratic Gov Janet Mills delivers her State of the State address Jan at the State House in Augusta Maine AP Photo Robert F Bukaty File The ruling body s complaint cites as examples the affair of a biological boy who in February won first place in pole vault at Maine s indoor track and field meet and a biological male who last year began competing in female cross country races in the state and placed first in the women s K The lawsuit reflects a stark philosophical turnabout from the position on gender identity issues taken during Democratic administrations Under President Joe Biden the establishment tried to extend civil rights policies to protect transgender people In the Justice Department then led by Attorney General Loretta Lynch sued North Carolina over a law that required transgender people to use residents restrooms and showers that corresponded the gender on their birth certificate Trump signed an executive order in February Keeping Men Out of Women s Sports that gave federal agencies wide latitude to ensure entities that receive federal funding abide by Title IX in alignment with his administration s interpretation of sex as the gender someone was assigned at birth Bondi was joined at the news conference by former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines who has emerged as a inhabitants face of the opposition to transgender athletes Gaines tied with a transgender athlete for fifth place in a NCAA championship and has testified before lawmakers across the country on the issue She and others frame the issue as women s rights During a February meeting with governors Trump threatened to pull federal funding from Maine if the state did not comply with his executive order Mills responded We ll see you in court Maine sued the administration this month after the Department of Agriculture declared it was pausing certain money for the state s educational programs because of what the administration contended was Maine s failure to comply with the Title IX law A federal judge on Friday ordered the administration to unfreeze funds intended for a Maine child nutrition scheme Questions over the rights of transgender people have become a major political issue in the past five years Twenty-six states have laws or policies barring transgender girls from girls school sports GOP-controlled states have also been banning gender-affirming vitality care for transgender minors and restricting bathroom use in schools and sometimes other population buildings Whittle broadcasted from Portland Maine Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvihill in Philadelphia contributed to this record