Trump Administration sues Maine over transgender athletes' participation in women's sports

President Donald Trump’s administration filed a lawsuit against the state of Maine on Wednesday, accusing it of failing to comply with a federal initiative that prohibits transgender athletes from participating in women's sports.

The legal action, led by the Department of Justice (DOJ), escalates a conflict between the Republican administration and Maine's Democratic governor, Janet Mills, over the interpretation of the federal Title IX anti-discrimination law, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education.

The lawsuit comes after weeks of tensions, including threats by the Trump administration to cut essential federal funds to Maine and a verbal confrontation at the White House, where Mills challenged the president, saying, "We’ll see you in court.”

The Attorney General Pam Bondi, joined by athletes at a conference at the DOJ, stressed the importance of this issue to Trump. Bondi stated, “Pretty simple, girls play in girls sports, boys play in boys sports. Women play in women’s sports, men play in men’s sports.”

He also warned that other states, such as Minnesota and California, could face similar lawsuits.

On his official X account, Bondi posted a video where he noted:

“This Department of Justice will fight for women if the state of Maine will not. Boys should not break records in women’s sports. Boys should not deny scholarship opportunities to dedicated female athletes. Boys should not be in the girls locker room.”

He further noted, "Today the Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit against the Maine Department of Education for failing to protect women in women’s sports. It’s simple: when women are discriminated against, this DOJ will take action.”

Similarly, the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services have argued that the Maine education agency violates Title IX by allowing transgender boys to compete on women's teams. In the lawsuit, the DOJ is seeking a court order compelling Maine to ban males from participating in girls' sports at all schools in the state.

For their part, Maine officials have rejected a settlement that would have excluded transgender students from sports, defending that the law does not prohibit transgender athletes from participating.

Gov. Mills called the lawsuit part of a lobbying campaign by the federal government to force Maine to ignore its own human rights laws.

In an official statement, Mills stated, “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 government bent on imposing its will, instead of upholding the law.”

For his part, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey expressed confidence that the state is acting in accordance with state and federal law. Frey criticized the federal lawsuit, noting, “Our position is further bolstered by the complete lack of any legal citation supporting the Administration’s position in its own complaint."

It further stressed that Trump's executive orders do not have the power to create or interpret laws, stating, "anyone with the most basic understanding of American civics understands the president does not create law nor interpret law."

The outcome of this case could have significant implications for school sports policies across the country.