‘See you in court’: Maine Governor and Donald Trump clash over transgender athlete ban

Mr Trump was lecturing a meeting of governors at the White House on Saturday local time when he singled out Maine Governor Janet Mills, asking where she was in the audience.

He then asked her directly if she was “going to comply” with an executive order banning transgender athletes from playing in girls’ and women’s sports.

“Are you not going to comply with it?” the president asked her.

“I’m complying with state and federal laws,” Ms Mills replied.

“Well, I’m — we are the federal law. Well, you better do it because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t,” Mr Trump threatened.

Then he got increasingly personal in a stunning attack.

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

Ms Mills shot back, “see you in court,” to which Mr Trump said he looked forward to it.

“That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after Governor because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics,” he said.

Ms Mills later released a statement addressing the tense interaction, saying her state “will not be intimidated by the President’s threats”.

“If the President attempts to unilaterally deprive Maine schoolchildren 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,” the statement said.

Mr Trump’s executive order, signed on February 6, allows US government agencies to deny funds to schools that allow transgender athletes to compete on women’s teams.

“From now on women’s sports will be only for women,” the president said before he signed the order at the White House, surrounded by dozens of children and female athletes.

“With this executive order the war on women’s sports is over.” 

He warned: “If you let men take over women’s sports teams or invade your locker rooms, you will be investigated … and risk your federal funding.”

The stouch comes as Trump makes stunning cuts to staff and funding, but says he can go even harder.

Speaking on Saturday he said he would like his billionaire advisor Elon Musk to get “more aggressive” in implementing his reform agenda of cutting back the federal government.

“Elon is doing a great job, but I would like to see him get more aggressive,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. 

“Remember, we have a country to save.” Trump has put the tech entrepreneur in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), tasking him with slashing public spending and tackling waste and alleged corruption.”

Musk — the world’s richest person and Trump’s biggest donor — has led the effort to fire swaths of the federal workforce.

In the latest cuts announced Friday, the US Defense Department will reduce its civilian workforce by at least five percent starting next week.

— with AFP