Attorney General Pam Bondi fired a new broadside against the state of Maine Tuesday in the Trump administration’s ongoing row with that state’s elected officials over the inclusion of trans athletes in girls’ and women’s sports.
Flanked by women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines and Maine State Representative Laurel Libby, Bondi announced that the Department of Justice will launch a lawsuit against Maine over its refusal to comply with President Trump’s executive order, which interpreted Title IX to prohibit the inclusion of men in women’s sports.
Maine has steadfastly clung to President Biden’s reinterpretation of Title IX, which would allow those identifying as transgender to compete in women’s athletics.
“They must not be reading the same Title IX we’re reading,” Bondi said.
🚨🚨BREAKING:
— The Maine Wire (@TheMaineWire) April 16, 2025
Flanked by @laurel_libby, Pam Bondi announces the Department of Justice has launched a civil lawsuit against the Maine Department of Education for failing to follow Title IX pic.twitter.com/r7KyCTKyUT
The complaint accuses Maine of “openly and defiantly flouting federal anti-discrimination law.”
“By prioritizing gender identity over biological reality, Maine’s policies deprive girl athletes of fair competition, deny them equal athletic opportunities, and expose them to heightened risks of physical injury and physiological harm,” the complaint reads.
The Trump administration’s conflict with Maine began in the opening weeks of his presidency. At a meeting with the nation’s governors in February, Trump asked Maine’s Governor Janet Mills (D) directly whether her state intended to comply with his goal of ridding women’s sports of trans athletes. Mills replied that she would follow “state and federal law.”
Trump shot back, “Well, we are the federal law. You better do it. You better do it because you’re not going to get any federal funding at all if you don’t.”
“We’ll see you in court,” Mills replied.
Undeterred, Trump welcomed the court battle.
“Good, I’ll see you in court,” Trump said. “I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after governor because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.”
