Trump's tense clash with Democratic governor over trans women in sport

Donald Trump engaged in a furious row with the Governor of Maine over transgender athletes during a fractious meeting at the White House.

Democrat Janet Mills came face to face with the president at a session of the National Governors Association in the State Dining Room on Friday.

While delivering a speech Trump mentioned his recent executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in girls and women's sports, and that he understood Maine was not complying.

He said 'Is the Governor of Maine here?' and when Mills stood up from behind a table, Trump asked: 'Are you not going to comply with that?' 

Mills responded: 'I'm complying with state and federal laws.'

Trump said: 'Well, we are the federal law. You better do it because you're not going to get any federal funding at all if you don't. 

'And, by the way, your population, even though it's somewhat liberal I did very well there. Your population, it doesn't want men playing in women's sports. So you better comply, otherwise you're not getting any federal funding.'

Mills countered: 'We're going to follow the law sir. We'll see you in court.' 

Trump hit back: 'Good, I'll see you in court, I look forward to it. That should be a real easy one.' 

He then indicated that it would be the end of her career.

'And enjoy your life after governor because I don't think you'll be in elected politics,' the president said.

The Democrat governor has been in office since 2019 and must leave after completing her second term in 2026.  

The exchange came hours after Trump made a formal speech to the Republican Governors Association.

In that speech he said: 'Anyone here from Maine? They are still saying they want men to play in women's sports and I cannot believe that they are doing that…so we're not gonna give them any federal funding until they clean that up.'

At the meeting with governors in the State Dining Rom there was clear tension, although Republican governors praised the president when he vowed to abolish the Education Department and slash state funding by half.

In a Friday statement, Mills said her state 'will not be intimidated by the president's threats.'

She said: '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.'

Meanwhile, the state's Attorney General said any funding linkage would be 'illegal and in direct violation of federal court orders.'

'Fortunately, the rule of law still applies in this country, and I will do everything in my power to defend Maine's laws and block efforts by the president to bully and threaten us,' Attorney General Aaron Frey said.

Frey called it 'disturbing that President Trump would use children as pawns in advancing his political agenda.'

Trump campaigned heavily on 'keeping men out of women's sports,' and continues to mention the issue, which his supporters credit with helping him in key states.

The President seemed ready for a confrontation when he raised it again Friday.

'Is anybody here from Maine? Ah – who is that? I that the governor' he asked the crowd at the White House. 

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'I hate to tell you this, but we're not going to give 'em any federal money. They are still saying we want men to play in women's sports, and I cannot believe that they're doing that,' he said.

'They are tough to find out who that guy is that raised his hand. Maybe he's just kidding, but we're not going to give him any federal funding, none whatsoever, until they clean that up. '

Trump appeared to be confusing the gender of Maine's female governor, who stood inside the room to issue the legal threat.

Trump's transgender order is just one of many of his executive actions that are being challenged in court.

His team has won several temporary victories as the new DOGE seeks to gain access to federal data while Trump carries out efforts to purge the federal workforce. 

Two transgender girls in New Hampshire have sued to challenge the ban, taking on both a state law and the executive order. 

'The Trump Administration's executive orders amount to a coordinated campaign to prevent transgender people from functioning in society,' said Chris Erchull, senior staff lawyer for GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, which joined the suit.

'School sports are an important part of education - something no child should be denied simply because of who they are. Our clients Parker and Iris simply want to go to school, learn, and play on teams with their peers,' he said.