President Donald Trump had a tense exchange with Maine’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, during a governors’ meeting at the White House on Friday. The discussion focused on Trump’s attempt to block federal funds to Maine over policies regarding transgender athletes. Mills stated firmly, “We’ll see you in court,” in response to Trump’s threats, suggesting a legal showdown regarding the matter. In anticipation, Trump remarked that he looked forward to the court proceedings and predicted that Mills’ political career would suffer due to her opposition to his executive order.
Later in the day, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would conduct an investigation into the Maine Department of Education, scrutinizing its policies surrounding the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports. This confrontation occurred after a series of exchanges between Mills and Trump over the previous day concerning Trump’s directive that seeks to restrict transgender individuals from participating in girls’ and women’s athletics—an unusual break from the typically cordial atmosphere among governors at the White House.
The back-and-forth arose while Trump was addressing the assembly of governors, where he highlighted an executive order he signed earlier this month regarding transgender athletes. After calling out to identify Mills in the audience, he posed a question, “Are you not going to comply with it?” to which Mills firmly responded that she was following both state and federal laws. Trump emphasized his position, insisting, “We are the federal law” and reiterated his threats about withholding federal funding from the state, asserting that many Maine residents supported his views on the issue.
Mills countered, “We’re going to follow the law,” to which Trump responded with a blunt warning about funding. Mills firmly retorted, “We’ll see you in court.” Trump seemed unphased, stating, “Good, I’ll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one,” adding a prediction concerning Mills’ future in politics.
The previous evening, during a gathering of Republican governors, Trump had made similar threats, claiming he had received reports about male athletes competing in Maine and said he would cut off federal funding until the issue was resolved. The Maine Principals’ Association, which governs high school athletics, recently declared it would uphold the inclusion of transgender female athletes based on the Maine Human Rights Act that protects against discrimination based on gender identity.
The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights announced it would investigate following allegations about the state’s policies allowing male athletes to compete in girls’ sports, which they labeled a federal antidiscrimination law violation. They reinforced that state laws must comply with federal regulations, specifically Title IX, which could jeopardize federal educational funding if not adhered to.
Mills expressed commitment to working with the attorney general to defend Maine in legal proceedings. She anticipated that Trump’s aggressive stance might not be limited to just her state. “I imagine that the outcome of this politically directed investigation is all but predetermined,” she commented, emphasizing that the core issue at stake is whether the president can impose his will without respecting national laws.
Mills, along with Maine’s attorney general, Aaron Frey, reiterated their stance against Trump’s intimidation tactics, asserting they would not back down from his threats. Mills emphasized that if the president tries to unilaterally cut federal funding for Maine’s schools, her administration, alongside the attorney general, would pursue all necessary legal actions to protect that funding and the educational opportunities it provides.
The order Trump signed allows federal agencies considerable discretion to ensure compliance with Title IX, interpreting “sex” based on biological gender. Noncompliance could lead to penalties against schools or athletic associations, possibly resulting in the loss of federal funds for educational initiatives.
