On February 21, 2025, during a White House meeting, Donald Trump threatened Maine Governor Janet Mills over his executive order banning transgender women and girls from participating in women’s sports. Trump warned that failure to comply would result in the loss of 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. Along with Attorney General Aaron Frey, her administration is ready to take legal action if needed. The dispute arises from an investigation into Maine for potential Title IX violations concerning transgender athletes. Despite the pressure, Maine plans to continue allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports, citing state laws and protections against discrimination.