“I can not believe they are doing that.”
While speaking before a gathering of Republican governors on Thursday, President Donald Trump reacted to news that Maine will defy his executive order protecting women’s sports.
Trump was referring to his executive order banning biological men from playing in women’s sports.
“I heard men are still playing in Maine,” Trump said.
“I hate to tell you this, but we’re not going to give them any federal money, they are still saying ‘we want men to play in women’s sports’ and I can not believe that they’re doing that… So we’re not going to give them any federal funding, none whatsoever, until they clean that up.”
🚨 President Trump announces Maine will not receive federal funding until they comply with the executive order keeping men out of women’s sports pic.twitter.com/OZqBHyW1QB
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 21, 2025
From Fox News:
Trump’s executive order, which was signed on Feb. 5, instructed all federal agencies to review grants, programs and policies that fail to comply with the administration’s efforts to end “male competitive participation in women’s sports… as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth.”
The order also instructed strict Title IX enforcement against any educational institutionsor athletic associations that do not comply and demands federal assistance be taken away in such cases.
“Many sport-specific governing bodies have no official position or requirements regarding trans-identifying athletes. Others allow men to compete in women’s categories if these men reduce the testosterone in their bodies below certain levels or provide documentation of ‘sincerely held’ gender identity,” Trump’s executive order states. “These policies are unfair to female athletes and do not protect female safety.”
Shortly after the order was signed, multiple states, including Maine, California, Minnesota and others run primarily by Democrats, indicated that they would not comply with Trump.
The executive director of the primary governing body for high school sports in the state of Maine said athletic teams will continue to determine eligibility based on a student’s stated gender identity, despite the president’s executive order seeking to keep “men out of women’s sports.”
Women’s rights advocate and former NCAA athlete Riley Gaines voiced her support for Trump’s decision to cut federal on X, saying “Moral clarity & accountability are back in the White House. Praise God.”
President Trump announces Maine will not receive federal funding until they comply with the executive order keeping men out of women’s sports.
Moral clarity & accountability are back in the White House. Praise God.
pic.twitter.com/d70qzX9z3t— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) February 21, 2025
In another X post, Gaines said that Maine would rather lose funding than protect women’s sports.
Maine would rather lose federal funding than enforce women’s sports are only for women.
Let that really sink in. https://t.co/Id02KC3kZw
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) February 21, 2025
