President Trump has threatened to strip federal funding from California if it doesn’t comply with the administration’s ban on transgender athletes in women’s sports.
The warning followed the first-place finish of transgender athlete AB Hernandez on Saturday in the girls’ long jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation Track Championships Masters Qualifiers.
Mr. Trump said he will speak Tuesday with California Gov. Gavin Newsom “to find out which way he wants to go.”
“California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newscum, continues to illegally allow ‘men to play in women’s sports,” Mr. Trump wrote Tuesday on social media.
“As a Male, he was a less than average competitor. As a Female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable,” he said, continuing in all-capital letters. “This is not fair, and totally demeaning to women and girls.”
Mr. Trump said that “large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently,” if the order he signed in February banning transgender athletes from women’s sports is not followed.
“The Governor, himself, said it is ‘UNFAIR,’” Mr. Trump said.
The president also said he is directing “local authorities” to stop the transgender athlete from competing in the state finals “if necessary,” even though local law enforcement is under Mr. Newsom’s control, not his.
The state finals in California are set to take place next week.
Mr. Newsom, a Democrat who is eyeing a 2028 presidential run, has recently distanced himself from his party on the transgender sports issue.
In March, he said during the inaugural episode of his podcast, “This is Gavin Newsom,” that it is “deeply unfair” that those born male compete in women’s sports.
“I think it’s an issue of fairness, I completely agree with you on that. It is an issue of fairness — it’s deeply unfair,” Mr. Newsom said while talking with Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk on the podcast. “I am not wrestling with the fairness issue. I totally agree with you.”
When reached for comment Tuesday, Mr. Newsom’s office pointed to comments made by the governor last month.
When asked then whether there should be a law that restricts trans athletes from playing in women’s sports, Mr. Newsom said he would be open to a law that would “do it in a way that’s respectful and responsible and could find a kind of balance.”
“You’re talking about a very small number of people, a very small number of athletes, and my responsibility is to address the pressing issues of our time,” he said.
But the governor said the issue has been “weaponized by the right to be 10x, 100x, bigger than it is.”
California is one of 22 states that have laws that permit students to play in sports according to gender identity rather than biological sex. The state estimates that out of 5.8 million students in the K-12 public school system, the number of transgender student-athletes is in the single digits.
Tensions started rising earlier this month after the athlete qualified for the state finals at the California Interscholastic Federation – Southern Section preliminary meet, spurring calls for Mr. Trump to take action.
“If California does not align with Title IX then it is time for the administration to take action in California,” said one email sent by Sophia Lorey, California Family Council outreach coordinator.
Sonja Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education, said her district and three others have passed resolutions calling for the Trump administration to get involved.
“We’re asking for President Trump to pull the funding. That is the truth,” Ms. Shaw said. “No money in the world is worth our girls being hurt. We have to pull the funding so girls can win. That is the truth. We’ve waited long enough.”
Ms. Shaw and others participated in a press conference outside of the California high school where the track event took place. Shirts and signs were handed out saying, “Protect Girls Sports” and “Hey, CIF: Girls’ Sports Are for Girls Only.”
• Valerie Richardson contributed to this report.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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