President Trump is calling for a public apology from Maine Governor Janet Mills after a disagreement over his executive order regarding transgender athletes in sports. This conflict arose during the White House Governors’ Conference in February, where Trump announced his order titled “No Men in Women’s Sports.” The order threatens to cut federal funding to states that do not comply.
During the conference, Mills defended Maine’s law that allows transgender athletes to compete in sports consistent with their gender identity. She told Trump that she would “see you in court” if he pursued action against her state. Trump warned her that failing to comply could lead to a loss of federal funding.
In March, the situation escalated when the Department of Agriculture paused $175 million in funding to Maine following an investigation. The University of Maine System eventually agreed to follow Trump’s order, and funding was restored shortly after.
The USDA confirmed that the University of Maine System was now in compliance with Title IX, which protects equal opportunities for women and girls in sports. The USDA stated that any false claims from the university could lead to serious financial consequences.
Despite this compliance, Trump is not done with Mills. In a recent message on Truth Social, he demanded that she personally issue a “full throated apology” for her previous comments. He emphasized that while the state had apologized for her remarks, he wants an acknowledgment directly from Mills.
Trump stated, “We need a full throated apology from the Governor herself, and a statement that she will never make such an unlawful challenge to the Federal Government again.” He expressed confidence that Mills could easily issue the apology.
As of now, Governor Mills has not indicated whether she will respond to Trump’s demand for an apology.