President Donald Trump has called for a “full-throated apology” from Maine’s Governor Janet Mills after the two clashed over a policy involving transgender athletes.
On Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social saying that although the state of Maine had apologized for Governor Mills’ strong statement about men competing in women’s sports at the White House Governor’s Conference, he hadn’t heard an apology directly from the Governor herself.
“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 Governor’s Conference, we have not heard from the Governor herself, and she is the one that matters in such cases,” Trump wrote. “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.”
Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order aimed at banning transgender athletes from participating in certain sports. The Education Department also rolled back protections against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, which were put in place by President Biden.
During a meeting at the White House last month, Trump and Mills disagreed when the president suggested withholding federal funding from Maine because the state wasn’t following his executive order on transgender athletes. Mills, a Democrat, responded by saying Maine was following federal law, adding, “See you in court.”
Trump also criticized Mills and Maine’s transgender policies in a February speech at the Conservative Political Action Committee. “She’s fighting to keep men in women’s sports. You ever see what happens to a woman when a woman boxes a man who transitioned to womanhood? You ever see what happens?” Trump said. “It’s not pretty.”
These comments come after the Trump administration ruled that Maine violated the updated Title IX law, which protects against gender discrimination. The state now has until March 27 to change its policy allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ and women’s sports or face action from the Justice Department.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) temporarily paused funding to the University of Maine System (UMS) after the disagreement. Funding has since been restored after the USDA review showed UMS was in compliance with Title IX.
“Any false claim by the UMaine can, and will, result in onerous and even potentially criminal financial liability,” the administration stated. “UMaine’s decision to side with sanity is a win for women and girls in Maine.”
The USDA also made it clear that Maine must either protect equal opportunities for women, as required by law, or risk losing funding.
