During a meeting with governors at the White House, Maine Governor Janet Mills (D) told President Donald Trump, “See you in court,” after Trump threatened to withhold federal funds if Maine did not follow his anti-transgender execitive orrders, which he falsely claimed were “federal law,” notes The Hill:
Trump repeated the false claim that two female Olympic boxers were transgender and touted a recent order meant to ban trans athletes from competing in girlsā and womenās sports, including at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.Ā
He asked Mills, who attended Fridayās event, whether she would direct her state to follow the order. Maineās governing body for high school sports, the Maine Principalās Association, previously said it would not bar transgender athletes from competing on teams that match their gender identity, citing a state anti-discrimination law preventing the organization from doing so.Ā
āIām complying with state and federal law,ā Mills responded.Ā
āWe are the federal law. You better do it because youāre not going to get federal funding,ā Trump said, echoing a threat he made Thursday evening at a meeting for the Republican Governorās Association.
While executive orders direct the government to enforce laws, they cannot override federal laws or statutes independently.Ā
