During a meeting of governors at the White House on Friday, President Trump asked Maine Gov. Janet Mills if she would comply with his order barring transgender female athletes from competing at schools receiving federal funding.
President Donald Trump on Saturday demanded that Maine Gov. Janet Mills apologize in their personal and legal spat over transgender athletes — and promise to "never make such an unlawful challenge to the Federal Government again."
The Trump administration has been investigating Maine and state schools amid his push to bar transgender athletes from playing in girls' and women's sports. At a White House reception last month, he brought up the issue, telling Mills that the state had to comply or it won't get federal funding.
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"We'll see you in court," Mills replied, leading Trump to say, "Good, I'll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after governor because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics."
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Trump renewed the spat Saturday morning, in a post on Truth Social, his social media site:
While the State of Maine has apologized for their Governor’s strong, but totally incorrect, statement about men playing in women’s sports while at the White House House Governor’s Conference, we have not heard from the Governor herself, and she is the one that matters in such cases. Therefore, we need a full throated apology from the Governor herself, and a statement that she will never make such an unlawful challenge to the Federal Government again, before this case can be settled. I’m sure she will be able to do that quite easily. Thank you for your attention to this matter and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! DJT
Mills didn't immediately respond, but she's previously described the fight as being about more than just transgender athletes' rights.
After the U.S. Department of Education told Maine's Department of Education that it had been instructed to begin an investigation into the state for allowing transgender athletes to compete, Mills issued a statement saying, "this is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a President can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation."
The court battle may play out soon.
This week, the Department of Education said its investigation concluded that Maine’s education office violated the Title IX antidiscrimination law by allowing transgender girls play on girls’ sports teams and use girls' sports facilities, giving the state 10 days to accept a list of demands or the case will be referred to the Justice Department for prosecution.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
