Minnesota AG Keith Ellison Responds to Trump’s Lawsuit
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison recently expressed his confidence regarding President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Justice Department.
During a discussion on a civic platform, Ellison seemed to take pride in his legal challenge that he initiated in April. “We’re fighting to protect trans athletes. In fact, we were doing that today. When Donald Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi threatened to sue me, I decided to sue them first!” he stated.
Ellison went on to discuss the implications of excluding transgender athletes, emphasizing that this affects kids—children, really. “But this guy said, ‘No, they have to be excluded, they have to be scapegoated.’ We said, ‘Absolutely hell no!'” he added.
The White House previously issued a statement addressing Ellison’s lawsuit. White House spokesperson Harrison Fields remarked, “Why would a grown man sue the Trump administration to allow other biological men to participate in women’s sports? This is creepy and anti-women.”
Minnesota was among the first states to openly defy Trump’s executive order aimed at excluding men from women’s sports. Currently, it’s under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education and Health and Human Services for this stance.
The state’s policy permitting transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports has led to a trans athlete from Champlin Park High School reaching the state championship this spring, igniting controversy and legal actions against Ellison from three female softball players.
The lawsuit identifies three school districts, alongside Ellison, the Minnesota High School League, and various state education and human rights officials as defendants.
One of the anonymous softball players involved in the suit mentioned facing a trans athlete who led her team to the state championship. “It’s not just a physical challenge; it’s a mental struggle—a mental battle that I know he has an advantage in the sport I grew up playing,” she said.
“This issue has impacted me in ways I never expected. It just feels unfair, and I’m frustrated that nothing seems to change. Boys shouldn’t be able to take spots from girls on the team simply because they can.”
Another anonymous player criticized Ellison for his strong support of transgender rights in women’s sports. She stated, “It’s really upsetting to see that he doesn’t take the rights of girls and women seriously. Allowing boys to compete with girls isn’t safe and feels completely unfair. It’s absolutely disgusting that AG Ellison is so supportive of men competing against women.”
Earlier this March, the Minnesota Legislature did not pass proposed “Saving Girls’ Sports” laws, which aimed to restrict participation in women’s sports to biological females in primary and secondary education.
