Former Minnesota Vikings and University of Minnesota football player Jack Brewer has expressed his concerns to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. The AG is currently advocating for trans athletes to remain in women’s sports, challenging President Trump and the Justice Department over this issue. Minnesota’s ongoing resistance to Trump’s executive order aimed at maintaining gender-specific sports participation has sparked debate, particularly around transgender pitchers dominating the girls’ softball league.
“It seems like Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has never actually played a major sport,” Brewer remarked. “He clearly has no experience in a locker room. This isn’t about real athleticism, toughness, or grit. It’s disappointing to see black men standing up nationally while promoting boys competing against girls.”
In response to the lawsuit, the White House accused Ellison of pursuing legal action to enable transgender inclusion. White House spokesperson Harrison Fields stated, “Why would a grown man sue the Trump administration to let biological men participate in women’s sports? This is creepy and anti-women.”
Brewer, who played for the Golden Gophers from 1998 to 2001, began his NFL journey with the Vikings in 2002 and has raised his family in Minnesota. He commented, “The state isn’t following the same path it used to take regarding women’s rights in sports. Instead, it’s undermining those rights and fostering an environment where men can overshadow women.”
“It’s disheartening for someone like me, a former athlete who loves this city. It really is shocking, and honestly, it feels devastating,” Brewer continued. Reports indicate that transgender athletes in softball have recently achieved considerable success, winning 14 games in a row, a development that has caused quite the stir in the state.
Brewer observed the seriousness of the situation, particularly in a sport like softball, where injuries can happen easily. “Men’s strength affects the dynamics—hitting the ball harder, throwing it faster. Allowing men in women’s softball, especially as the sport gains visibility, can jeopardize fairness and safety.”
“Women’s softball is growing rapidly. If high school boys think they can just switch over and play, there might not be a spot for girls anymore,” he added. “That’s precisely what Keith Ellison is facilitating; it seems they have little regard for girls, focusing more on maintaining power and funding.”
Brewer referenced Trump’s stance, saying, “He understands the implications well. If you put Major League players on a women’s softball team, they’re virtually guaranteed to win.”
After Trump’s order to “exclude men from women’s sports,” Ellison announced his lawsuit, claiming the Trump administration doesn’t have the authority to dictate state athletic policies. He expressed frustration over the potential legal confrontation, stating, “I won’t wait for Trump’s administration to sue Minnesota. We are taking a stand against this bullying.”
Ellison’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, argues that the Trump administration is overstepping its bounds in setting state policies, marking Minnesota as the first state to confront the Justice Department in this manner regarding trans athletes in women’s sports. Following a similar suit in Maine, where a federal judge ruled in favor of state funding, Minnesota’s case could have significant implications.
The Minnesota State High School League stated that allowing trans athletes to participate in women’s sports would breach federal law, which complicates the situation even further. Ellison’s office is also suggesting that state laws are discriminatory against transgender athletes.
Legislation aimed at preserving women’s sports failed to pass in Minnesota’s state legislature earlier this year, and a recent survey found a significant majority of Americans, including many Democrats, oppose allowing trans athletes in women’s sports. Among those surveyed, 79% of biological men felt they should not participate in female sports, and 67% of Democrats shared this viewpoint.
