Maine Governor Janet Mills stood up to US President Donald Trump during a White House meeting on Friday, opposing his executive order that prevents transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports.

During a discussion with a group of governors from both parties, Trump suddenly raised the issue and asked if Maine had a representative. Governor Mills replied, “Yeah, I’m here.” Later on, the president asked her if she would follow the order. "I'm complying with state and federal laws," Mills firmly responded.  "We are the federal law," Trump declared, as he threatened to withhold federal funding if his order was not followed. “You better comply, you better comply, because, otherwise, you're not getting any federal funding,” he warned.  

Trump responded, “Good. I’ll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one.” After a brief pause, he added, “And enjoy your life after governor, because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics.” The discussion highlighted Trump's push to change federal rules about gender in sports, a move backed by Republican lawmakers. His administration argues that keeping transgender female athletes out of women's sports is necessary for fairness, while critics believe it unfairly singles out a marginalised group.

The US Department of Education notified Pender Makin, the Education Commissioner of Maine, shortly after Mills' challenge that it had opened a "directed investigation" of the state's handling of the issue. A school had reportedly allowed "at least one male student to compete in girls' categories," according to the notice. 

The Maine Principals’ Association has confirmed its policy allowing transgender female athletes to participate in high school sports. This follows the Maine Human Rights Act, which bans discrimination based on gender identity. However, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights is investigating, claiming that Maine’s policy goes against federal anti-discrimination laws by allowing "male" athletes to compete in girls' sports. The department also warned that if Maine does not follow the Trump administration’s interpretation of Title IX, it could lose federal education funding.

Governor Mills and Attorney General Aaron Frey have promised to fight the federal investigation, saying it is driven by politics. Mills emphasised that Maine “will not be intimidated” and vowed to take legal action if federal funding is cut. She explained that this issue is about more than just sports—it’s about the president trying to force compliance without considering legal rules.

Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order allowing federal agencies to enforce his administration’s interpretation of Title IX. This means that 'sex' is defined based on a person’s birth assignment. Schools and organisations that do not follow this rule could lose federal funding.