Donald Trump threatened Maine Governor Janet Mills during a meeting at the White House on February 21, 2025, over his executive order banning transgender women and girls from participating in women’s sports. Trump warned Mills that failure to comply would result in losing federal funding, asserting, “We are federal law, you better do it.” Mills responded, “We’ll see you in court,” to which Trump replied, “Good. I’ll look forward to that.”

Mills has stated that Maine will not be intimidated by these threats, and her administration, along with Attorney General Aaron Frey, is prepared to take legal action if necessary. The conflict stems from an investigation into Maine for alleged Title IX violations regarding transgender athletes. Despite the pressure, Maine intends to continue allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports, citing state laws and protections against discrimination.