On Feb. 21, a rare and heated moment of defiance unfolded when Gov. Janet Mills of Maine directly challenged President Donald Trump in front of a group of bipartisan governors. The confrontation came after the president’s push to implement an executive order barring transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, which Mills had strongly opposed.
The exchange took place during a meeting between Trump and the nation’s governors, where the president was discussing his executive order and its potential consequences. As Trump addressed the room, he suddenly turned his attention to the state of Maine, recalling that its leaders had been resistant to his order.
“Is Maine here? The governor of Maine?” said Trump, scanning the room for Mills.
“I’m here,” said Mills, from across the room.
“Are you not going to comply with that?” said Trump, referring to the controversial executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.
“I’m complying with state and federal laws,” said Mills. Her response reflected her belief that Maine’s laws protecting transgender rights should take precedence while also adhering to federal regulations.
However, Trump did not back down.
“We are the federal law,” said Trump, reminding Mills that the U.S. government has the authority to enforce its policies. He then warned her that Maine could lose federal funding if it did not comply with the order. Trump made it clear that he believed the majority of Americans supported his stance on the issue.
However, a poll conducted by The New York Times and Ipsos revealed that only 18% of Americans believe transgender female athletes, those assigned male at birth, should be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
“You better comply, or you’re not getting any federal funding,” Trump repeated.
Mills, unfazed, shot back with a strong reply: “See you in court.”
“See you in court.”
Maine Governor Janet Mills
Trump responded with a mixture of sarcasm and hostility.
“Good, I’ll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one,” Trump said. Trump then began to make threats towards Mills.
“And enjoy your life after governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics,” Trump said.
This rare back-and-forth moment was notable, not only because of the tense exchange but also because it highlighted a growing political standoff between the Trump administration and Democratic governors like Mills.
While President Trump has often been able to push his agenda with little resistance from Republican lawmakers, Mills’s defiance stood out as a sign that some leaders are willing to challenge the president’s orders, especially when they believe they are protecting the rights of marginalized communities.
Just hours after the meeting, the U.S. Department of Education escalated the conflict by sending a letter to Maine’s Education Commissioner Pender Makin, informing her that the department was launching a “directed investigation” into the state’s policies regarding transgender athletes. The letter specifically mentioned reports from one school where they allowed “at least one male student to compete in girls’ categories,” which the department cited as a potential violation of federal law.
This investigation marked the beginning of what could become a legal battle between the state of Maine and the Trump administration over the rights of transgender athletes to compete in sports. In response to the investigation, Governor Mills made it clear that she would defend Maine’s policies in court.
“I imagine that the outcome of this politically directed investigation is all but predetermined,” Mills said in a statement. “But do not be misled: this is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a president can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation. I believe he cannot.”
Mills’s position was backed by Maine’s Democratic Attorney General, Aaron Frey, who vowed to “defend Maine’s laws and block efforts by the president to bully and threaten us.”
The escalation of the confrontation was not surprising, as the issue of transgender rights has become a highly divisive topic in American politics. Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order that allowed federal agencies to enforce his administration’s interpretation of Title IX, a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs. Under Trump’s directive, “sex” is defined as the gender someone is assigned at birth, meaning that transgender women would be excluded from competing in women’s sports.
The president’s stance on transgender athletes has sparked backlash from many users online who argue that the order is discriminatory and pointless. They point out that as of December 2024, there were “less than 10” transgender female athletes competing in the NCAA out of 510,000 estimated total athletes.
At the White House meeting, Hawaii Governor Josh Green, a Democrat, also expressed concerns about the tone of the exchange. He noted that some of the governors in the room were uneasy about the way Trump addressed Governor Mills.
“It wasn’t yelling, but it seemed like unnecessary conflict,” Green said. “It was just a moment, but she stood firm against him.”
Governor Mills’s determination to challenge Trump’s order is particularly significant in the context of the broader political landscape. While many Democratic leaders have struggled to confront the president’s policies, Mills’s stance is a reminder that politicians are willing to push back against what they see as unjust directives. For now, it remains to be seen how this legal battle will unfold, but one thing is clear: the fight over transgender rights in sports is far from over.