The Department of Justice has announced a federal lawsuit against the Maine Department of Education over its refusal to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order barring biological males from participating in female athletic programs that receive federal funding.
The lawsuit follows months of rising tension between the Trump administration and Maine officials, particularly Democrat Governor Janet Mills, who has openly defied the directive.
The conflict came to a head in late February during a meeting at the White House between Mills and President Trump, after the state publicly stated it would not comply with the executive order.
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Attorney General of the United States Pam Bondi announced the legal action on Wednesday at a press conference held in Washington, D.C., flanked by female athletes, parents, and advocates who have raised concerns about the fairness and safety of girls’ and women’s sports in the state.
“The DOJ will not sit by when women are discriminated against in sports,” Bondi stated.
“This is about sports, this is also about these young women’s personal safety.”
“Even though my own governor isn’t fighting for me, I know there are people out there fighting for me.”
Amazing words from Maine high school athletes Cassidy Carlisle and Zoe Hutchins. pic.twitter.com/1SZEiXVysK
— The Maine Wire (@TheMaineWire) April 16, 2025
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The lawsuit accuses Maine’s Department of Education of violating Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded educational programs.
The department’s continued endorsement of policies that allow biological males to compete in female sports has drawn strong criticism from both state and national advocates.
Governor Mills responded to the lawsuit by dismissing it as a political distraction, suggesting that the issue of who plays in girls’ sports is less important than broader economic concerns.
“To me, these kinds of actions and press conferences are a diversionary tactic from what the real issues are facing families across Maine and families across the United States,” Mills said during a press event.
.@Riley_Gaines_ calls out Governor Mills for REFUSING to protect young female athletes:
“That is who Governor Mills is fighting, not Donald Trump, it is those little girls and I believe that is sick.” pic.twitter.com/l9WRK9oqmr
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) April 16, 2025
“The price of eggs, the price of bread, the price of fuel, the price of housing and construction costs, the cost of a new truck or an old truck or a vehicle of any kind.”
Mills’ comments drew swift pushback from athletes and advocates, including Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer and spokesperson for Save Women’s Sports, who delivered an emotional statement at the DOJ press conference.
“I’m sure you guys saw the clips and the visuals that surfaced following President Trump’s executive order signing of this EO barring men from participating in women’s sports within any educational program that receives federal funding,” Gaines said.
“And it was the most amazing thing to be there. And you have all of these young girls, I’m talking five, six, seven, eight years old. They’ve got their jerseys on, their sports uniforms, their big bows in their hair that they wear on the soccer field. That visual means more to me than I could possibly put into words, and that is what is at stake here. That is who Governor Mills is fighting, not Donald Trump. It’s those little girls, and I believe that’s sick.”
.@Riley_Gaines_ calls out Governor Mills for REFUSING to protect young female athletes:
“That is who Governor Mills is fighting, not Donald Trump, it is those little girls and I believe that is sick.” pic.twitter.com/l9WRK9oqmr
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) April 16, 2025
Maine state representative Laurel Libby, a Republican, has continued to raise the alarm over what she describes as the state’s refusal to protect female athletes.
Libby has worked with national organizations and lawmakers to spotlight Maine’s noncompliance and advocate for policies that restore single-sex athletic competition.
The Trump administration’s executive order, signed earlier this year, mandates that any school receiving federal funds must maintain biological sex-based divisions in athletic competition.
States that fail to enforce the requirement risk losing access to federal education funding.
The lawsuit marks the first major enforcement action under that order and signals a broader federal effort to uphold the protections laid out in Title IX.
As the legal battle begins, Maine stands as one of the first states to openly defy the Trump administration’s women’s sports protections.
DOJ officials say further actions may be taken against other states or school districts that choose not to comply.
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