Fireworks erupted at the White House on Friday when President Donald Trump challenged Maine’s Democrat governor for refusing to defend the integrity of women’s sports.
Trump delivered remarks at the Governors Working Session, where he discussed the NCAA complying with his executive order mandating that men stay out of women’s spaces. He looked up from the podium questioning: “Is Maine here? The governor of Maine? Are you not going to comply with it?”
“I’ll comply with state and federal law,” Governor Janet Mills responded.
“We are the federal law,’ Trump told her. “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 is somewhat liberal although I did very well there. Your population doesn’t want men playing in women’s sports. You better comply because otherwise you’re not getting any federal funding.”
“We’ll see you in court,” the governor can be heard saying.
“Good, I’ll see you in court,” Trump said. “I 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.”
The exchange came after Maine’s Department of Education said it would not comply with Trump’s executive order titled “Keeping Men Out Of Women’s Sports.” The Maine Principals’ Association said earlier this month that the state would allow males to continue competing in girls’ and women’s sports.
On Thursday, the president said that his administration would withhold federal funding from Maine following the news that a boy who identifies as a girl took first place in girls’ pole vaulting at Maine’s Class B state championship.
“I heard men are still playing in Maine,” Trump said on Thursday. “We’re not gonna give any federal money. They are still saying, ‘We want men to play in women’s sports.’ And I cannot believe they’re doing that.”
“We’re not gonna give them any federal funding — none whatsoever, until they clean that up,” he added.
