The Trump administration has now formally determined that Maine is in violation of federal Title IX rules with its refusal to abide by the ban on transgender athletes playing in girls’ sports.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights has sent a letter to Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey to inform Maine officials that the state’s education department has violated the rules and that a compliance review is now underway, WMTW-TV reported.
The February 25 letter states that Maine “violates Title IX by denying female student athletes in the State of Maine an equal opportunity to participate in, and obtain the benefits of participation, ‘in any interscholastic, intercollegiate, club or intramural athletics’ offered by the state by allowing male athletes to compete against female athletes in current and future athletic events.”
State officials have not commented on the letter or the compliance review.
Maine Governor Janet Mills made a point of verbally attacking President Donald Trump during a meeting of state governors at the White House in February after Trump warned Mills that she had better comply with Title IX rules on transgender athletes. Mills scoffed, “See you in court,” as she threatened legal action against the president’s rule changes.
MUST WATCH: This is one of the most epic exchanges ever between Trump and the Governor of Maine pic.twitter.com/mqjTVBStZi
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 21, 2025
Maine Democrats have also moved to censure a Republican lawmaker for opposing transgender people.
Last month, Maine Republican state Rep. Laurel Libby blasted Gov. Mills for refusing to obey President Donald Trump’s Title IX rules banning transgender athletes in girls’ sports and noted that Maine risks a loss of federal education funding.
Libby also shared a story of a transgender athlete dominating a girl’s track meet on her social media. After she posted the story, the Democrats- who control power in state government- censured the rep for daring to post the story in criticism of transgender athletes.
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