The Trump administration initiated legal action against the state of Maine on Wednesday, claiming the state is not adhering to federal directives that aim to prohibit transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. This has led to heightened tensions surrounding the interpretation of federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education.
The lawsuit emerges after weeks of disagreements between the Republican-led federal administration and Democratic Governor Janet Mills. These disputes have come with threats to withdraw significant federal funds and a confrontation between Mills and President Donald Trump at the White House, where she declared, “We’ll see you in court.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi highlighted this issue as a pivotal one for President Trump, who has consistently opposed the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports through his 2024 electoral campaign. Bondi also indicated the possibility of taking similar legal actions against other states such as Minnesota and California.
“President Trump has always held that sports should be segregated by biological sex,” Bondi remarked, underscoring Trump’s executive orders that seek to limit participation to individuals of the sex assigned at birth. These orders are currently undergoing judicial review.
The federal departments of Education and Health and Human Services have accused Maine of violating Title IX anti-discrimination laws by allowing transgender girls to compete on female teams. Consequently, the Justice Department has requested the courts to mandate all schools in Maine to restrict athletic contests for females to biological females.
State officials in Maine, however, have resisted a settlement proposal that would prevent transgender students from participating in sports, asserting that the policies do not contravene federal anti-discrimination laws. Governor Mills argues that this litigation is part of broader federal efforts to undermine Maine’s state sovereignty and autonomous human rights laws.
“This is less about sports and more about the rights of states and the integrity of laws,” Governor Mills stated. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey defended his state’s position, emphasizing its adherence to both state and federal law while criticizing the administration’s lack of legal substantiation.
The legal complaint identified specific scenarios involving transgender athletes who have excelled in state athletic events. These examples, the administration claims, illustrate violations of the law.
The legal action represents a significant shift from the gender identity policy stance held in previous Democratic administrations. During Obama’s presidency, the government pursued expanded civil rights for transgender individuals. Conversely, the Trump administration issued orders, such as “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” which enforce a narrow interpretation of gender based solely on biological sex.
The controversy was underscored by the presence of Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer, who has become a vocal critic of transgender participation in women’s sports, framing it as an issue of women’s rights.
Earlier in February, President Trump implied that federal funding could be revoked if Maine did not comply with executive orders related to transgender athletes. In response, the state launched its own lawsuit when the Department of Agriculture temporarily withheld funds for Maine’s educational initiatives, which were later restored by a federal judge.
In recent years, the issue of transgender rights has taken center stage in political discourse. Currently, 26 states have enacted policies that restrict the participation of transgender girls in school sports, while others have similarly limited access to gender-affirming health care for minors, as well as bathroom usage in both educational and public settings.