Maine Governor Janet Mills responded to an announcement that the U.S. Department of Education will investigate her state to enable trans athletes to compete in women's sports and defy a recent executive order by President Donald Trump. A statement was issued on Friday.
In a statement by Mills, she suggests that Trump's investigation into Trump's state's potential Title IX violations will show that the president will later target people based on their race or religion. did.
“Main Mae [be] It is one of the first states to be investigated by his administration, but we are not the last. Today, the US president is targeting one of the specific groups on a particular issue addressed by Maine law. But you have to ask yourself: who will he target next and what, and what will he do? Is that you? Is it because of your race or your religion? Is it because you look different or think differently? Where will it end? In America, a president is neither a king nor a dictator.
“I think the results of this politically directed investigation are almost pre-determined. My administration will begin in court in working with the Attorney General to defend the interests of the people of Maine. But don't get me wrong, we can compete in the athletic field. This is about whether the president can force his will without considering the rule of law that governs our country. .
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Mills also said Trump refused to comply with his recent executive order to ban trans athletes from girls and women's sports, which the president vowed to do in his speech on Thursday. He claimed he had no authority to withhold funds.
“No Republicans or Democrats can withhold federal funds approved and approved by Congress and paid by Maine taxpayers. A pledge to support them,” Mills said.
Maine is the fourth state since it was signed on February 5th to begin an investigation into Title IX to violate Trump's orders. DOE announced on February 12 that it was investigating high school athletic associations in California and Minnesota. He refused to follow Trump's recent orders.
Before that, DOE announced on February 6th that it will investigate the Massachusetts Interstate Declassification Association (MIAA) along with San Jose State and the University of Pennsylvania.
Now, Maine is on that list after two conflicting days between Trump and Mills.
It began Thursday when Trump vowed to cut funds for the state for refusing to comply with his orders during a gathering of Republican governors in Washington.
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“I hate to tell you this, but we're not going to give them federal money, they still say, “We want men to play women's sports.” And I can't believe they're doing it… I won't give them federal funds until they clean it up. ”
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Maine received more than $360 million from the federal government for fiscal year 2021-22, or about 10.1% of its education funding.
On Friday, Mills' office responded in a statement threatening legal action against the Trump administration if it withholds federal funds from the state. Trump and Mills then spawned verbally in a widely publicized discussion at the White House during a bipartisan meeting of the governor.
“Are you planning on following that?” Trump asked Mills.
“I am complying with state and federal laws,” she replied. Trump said, “Well, we're federal law” and “You better do that, you can't get federal funds, so you better do that if you don't do it everything .
“And by the way, your population is a bit more free, but I did very well there, but your population doesn't want men to play with women's sports, Trump continued.
“See you in court,” replied Mills.
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“Like, see you in court. I look forward to it. It should be really easy. And I don't think you're in elected politics, so I'm going to go through life after the governor. Have fun,” Trump concluded.
The DOE investigation into Maine was published several hours later.
Maine received national scrutiny for allowing women's sports trans athletes amid the state's denial that rejected Trump's Order and the recent incident involving Transpole Vaulter.
Katie Spencer, who previously competed in the state Championship Athletics Events as a man named John Rizivsky at Paulvault in June 2024, jumped all the other women half-foot . Spencer's winner, Paul Vault, was crucial in supporting Spencer's track and field team at Greeley High School in Cumberland, Maine.
For the victory, Spencer is now automatically qualified for the Multi-State Regional Championship, earning the spot that would have been awarded to the female athlete who competed in the Boys category.
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A female high school athletics athlete praised Trump for intervening in the situation Friday.
Zoe, who competed in Shotput at Maine's Class B-state Indoor Championship on Monday, said he was cutting federal funds to Maine over Trump's rebellion for Trump's order in which men keep men out of women's sports “I'm grateful” for the announcement, the state leader added that he “failed for a female athlete.”
“State leaders need to fail our female athletes and make an impact because of their negligence,” Zoe said. “We feel we are seeing and hearing for this announcement and hope that measures will continue to be taken to protect women's sports in Maine.”
In a Fox News Digital statement, White House press chief Caroline Leavitt said, “Partificially elected judicial activists seeking to legally obstruct President Trump's agenda have overwhelmed President Trump. “It is against the will of the 77 million Americans who have been re-elected,” he added. Their efforts will fail.
“All President Trump's enforcement actions are legal, constitutional and intended to fulfill the promises he made to the American people,” Leavitt said. “Trump administration” You are ready to fight these fights in court and will win. ”
Alex Schemel of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
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