The Trump administration initiated legal action against Maine on Wednesday, April 16, over the state’s refusal to ban transgender athletes from women’s sports. This move heightens the ongoing conflict between President Donald Trump and Governor Janet Mills of Maine.
The lawsuit, filed by the Department of Justice, alleges that Maine’s education department is in violation of Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational programs. In February, President Trump signed an executive order interpreting Title IX to exclude transgender women and girls from participating in female sports categories.
At a press conference, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the lawsuit, stating that the Department of Justice “will not sit by when women are discriminated against in sports.” She also noted concerns regarding “these young women’s personal safety.”
Bondi further mentioned that the administration seeks to revoke titles won by transgender athletes in women’s sports in Maine. “We are also considering whether to retroactively pull all the funding that they [the education department] have received for not complying in the past,” she stated.
Multiple attempts by the Trump administration to reduce federal funding for Maine’s public schools and school lunch program preceded the lawsuit. These actions appear tied to a public disagreement between Governor Mills and President Trump during a U.S. governors’ meeting on February 21.
During that meeting, Trump warned that Maine’s federal education funding could be cut if Mills did not adhere to the executive order banning transgender athletes from female sports. Mills reportedly responded: “We’ll see you in court.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, Mills defended Maine’s position and accused the federal government of overstepping its bounds. She claimed the issue is “never about school sports or the protection of women and girls” and criticized the federal government for “imposing its will” on states.
“For nearly two months, Maine has endured recriminations from the federal government that have targeted hungry school kids, hardworking fishermen, senior citizens, new parents, and countless Maine people,” Mills stated. She added that the state has faced politically motivated investigations with outcomes that seemed predetermined.
According to Mills, only two transgender athletes currently compete in Maine’s schools. A study by UCLA’s Williams Institute indicates that less than 1% of people over 13 years old in the United States identify as transgender.
The dispute centers on differing interpretations of Title IX. The Trump administration argues that allowing transgender women in women’s sports violates the law by compromising fair competition and equal opportunities for female athletes. Meanwhile, Maine officials maintain that the state’s laws protect transgender rights and that the federal government misinterprets Title IX.
The Department of Justice seeks an injunction against Maine’s transgender policy and wants “the titles returned to young women who fully won these sports,” according to DOJ statements. Bondi emphasized the issue’s importance, stating that the principle of protecting women’s sports is at stake, regardless of the number of athletes involved.
Maine is not alone in facing potential legal action from the Trump administration over this issue. The Department of Justice has also threatened legal action against Minnesota and California for similar policies. The DOJ has expressed a preference to avoid suing but insists on compliance with federal law as interpreted by the Trump administration.
The lawsuit against Maine is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reverse policies on transgender individuals enacted by the Biden administration. Following Trump’s executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” the NCAA banned transgender women from competing in women’s sports in February.
This decision has significantly affected transgender athletes nationwide. The NCAA ruling impacts over 500,000 collegiate athletes, although, according to the NCAA president, fewer than 10 of these athletes publicly identify as transgender.
The lawsuit coincides with the U.S. House of Representatives passing a bill to redefine sex in Title IX to align with genetics from birth, potentially impacting transgender athletes in sports. The bill requires Democratic support to progress through the Senate.
Polling suggests that most Americans do not support transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports. However, advocates argue such policies exclude transgender youth from vital physical and social activities.
On the same day the U.S. lawsuit against Maine was announced, the Supreme Court in the United Kingdom ruled that a woman’s legal definition is based on biological sex, though transgender individuals remain protected from discrimination.
