CV NEWS FEED // At a Republican Governors Association meeting Thursday, President Donald Trump warned that his administration would withhold federal funding from Maine if the Democratic-controlled state does not agree to keep men out of women’s sports competitions – in accordance with an executive order Trump signed earlier this month.
In his remarks, Trump noted that men who claim to be “transgender” are “still playing in” Maine women’s sporting events.
Singling out the northeastern state, the president then said, “I hate to tell you this but we’re not going to give them any federal money. They are still saying we want men to play in women’s sports and I cannot believe that they are doing that.”
“So, we’re not going to give them any federal funding, none whatsoever, until they clean that up,” he reiterated.
On Friday, Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills issued a statement in which she resisted Trump’s executive order.
“If the President attempts to unilaterally deprive Maine school children of the benefit of Federal funding, my Administration and the Attorney General will take all appropriate and necessary legal action to restore that funding and the academic opportunity it provides,” Mills stated. “The State of Maine will not be intimidated by the President’s threats.”
At a White House governor’s meeting that same day, Trump personally confronted Mills, asking the governor if she is “not going to comply” with his order.
“I’m complying with state and federal laws,” Mills replied.
“We are the federal law,” the president fired back. “You better do it, because you’re not going to get any federal funding if you don’t.”
Trump said that Maine’s population “does not want men in women’s sports.”
“See you in court,” responded Mills.
“Good. I’ll see you in court,” said Trump. “I’ll look forward to that. That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after, Governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.”
Mills is term-limited and is not eligible to run for reelection to a third term next year. Maine is a Democratic-leaning state which Trump lost by seven percentage points last year. However, he won one of the state’s four electoral votes, carrying the state’s 2nd congressional district by about ten points.
On Feb. 5, Trump signed an executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”
>> FEB. 5: TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO KEEP MEN OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS <<
The order states that “it is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”
“It shall also be the policy of the United States to oppose male competitive participation in women’s sports more broadly, as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth,” the order continues.
Trump said upon signing the order that his administration “will defend the proud tradition of female athletes.”
“And we will not allow men to beat up, injure, and cheat our women and our girls,” he added at the time. “From now on, women’s sports will be only for women.”