President Donald Trump has demanded Maine Governor Janet Mills apologize and promise she will never ‘challenge the federal government again’ as the pair face-off on banning transgender athletes in women’s sports.
The 78-year-old took to his own social media app, Truth Social, to list his demands and voice how he thought it was disrespectful to ‘not heard from’ the Democrat governor.
‘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,’ he wrote.
‘I’m sure she will be able to do that quite easily. Thank you for your attention to this matter and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!’
Although Trump said he accepts the state’s apology, he believes hearing it directly from Mils is important as ‘she is the one that matters in such cases.’
Since his inauguration, Trump has signed executive orders requiring the federal government to recognize only two genders and another titled: ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.’
In the latter order, the Trump administration vowed to rescind funding to any institution that permits trans athletes to participate in female sports.
The order directs the Department of Justice to make sure all government agencies enforce a ban under Trump’s interpretation of Title IX, a law against sex discrimination in education.
Since then, the NCAA has amended its policy and now limits women’s sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth, while Maine has disobeyed the order by allowing a trans pole vaulter at Greely High School to compete against girls.
‘The Maine Department of Education may not shirk its obligations under Federal law by ceding control of its extracurricular activities, programs, and services to the Maine Principals’ Association,’ Anthony Archeval, Acting Director of the OCR at HHS, said in a press release on Monday.
Now the OCR is giving Maine, its Principal’s Association and the school the chance to ‘voluntarily commit within 10 days to resolve the matter through a signed agreement or risk referral to the US Department of Justice for appropriate action.’
Maine became a focal point of the issue when a transgender athlete from Greely won a state championship in pole vaulting in the girls’ division.
In February, Trump had a high-profile clash with the Democratic governor of Maine, Janet Mills, when he threatened to withhold federal funds from the state over its policy on transgender participation in school sports.
‘Is Maine here, the governor of Maine?’ he asked.
‘I’m here,’ she replied.
‘Are you not going to comply with it?’ he asked.
‘I’m complying with state and federal laws,’ Mills replied.
Trump responded: ‘We are the federal law.’
He again threatened the state’s federal funding and said Maine may be a Democratic state but its residents largely agree with him on this issue.
‘We’re going to follow the law,’ she said.
‘You’d better comply,’ Trump warned. ‘Otherwise, you’re not getting any federal funding.’
‘We’ll see you in court,’ the governor replied.
‘Good, I’ll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one,’ Trump said. ‘And enjoy your life after governor because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.’
Trump did suspend funding for research and programs at the University of Maine System (UMS).
In an email received by UMS, the chief financial officer at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) ordered all payments to be paused while the department ‘evaluates if it should take any follow-on actions’ related to possible violations at the school.
The school received almost $30 million in USDA funding in the 2024 fiscal year.