President Donald Trump is calling for a public apology from Maine Governor Janet Mills following her opposition to his executive order on transgender athletes.
The confrontation stems from an executive order issued by Trump, which bans transgender athletes from women's sports, and seeks compliance under threat of financial consequences, New York Post reported.
In a move that stirred controversy, President Trump demanded Maine's Governor Janet Mills apologize for her opposition to an executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women's sports. The executive order, which was issued on February 5, threatens the withdrawal of federal funds for non-compliance.
Initially, the University of Maine System, which had previously resisted the order, complied due to the threat of losing federal funding. The issue gained further attention when a transgender athlete named "Katie" won a state championship in pole vaulting, prompting the administration to escalate their concerns about compliance.
A confrontation between President Trump and Governor Mills occurred during a governor's summit. In a retort to the President's demands, Mills declared, "See you in court," signaling her willingness to challenge the federal directive.
In light of the ongoing dispute, the Trump administration initiated an investigation to evaluate whether Maine had violated Title IX guidelines, potentially placing $250 million in annual federal funding at risk.
The University of Maine System Chancellor, Dannel Malloy, emphasized the institution’s compliance with both state and federal laws, as well as NCAA regulations. The Department of Education, which President Trump has announced intentions to dismantle, ordered UMS to adhere to the policy within ten days to avoid funding cuts.
Chancellor Malloy addressed the situation publicly, stating, "The University of Maine System has always maintained its compliance with state and federal laws and with NCAA rules, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture also affirmed in a press release today."
As the saga unfolded, Trump expressed via Truth Social his belief that Mills could issue the apology, stating, “I’m sure she will be able to do that quite easily,” and thanked attention given to the situation.
In recent developments, President Trump intensified pressure by linking the demand for an apology from Mills to the recent actions of Columbia University. In response to Trump's push on a different matter, Columbia had acted to improve protections for Jewish students.
Trump's written statement emphasized the importance of the Governor’s apology, asserting, "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."
Trump wrote, "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."
Governor Mills stands firm in her stance against the executive order, maintaining her original opposition amidst the demand for her full compliance.
The ensuing debate continues as parties await Governor Mills' decision on issuing the public apology requested by President Trump. In summary, the case reflects broader discussions on transgender athletes’ rights and federal versus state governance.
