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Education Secretary Linda McMahon spoke to Fox News Digital during a tour stop during the Independent Women’s Forum bus tour in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Monday.
McMahon has been a key figure in the Trump administration’s mission to counter trans athlete inclusion in women’s and girls’ sports, directing the Department of Education to launch several Title IX investigations into institutions that have enabled incidents to occur.
Five months into her position, McMahon has helped spearhead the formation of a new federal Title IX Investigations team in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Meanwhile, the ongoing national culture war over the issue burns hotter than it ever has.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt and prominent conservative influencer Riley Gaines are among those on the right who have suggested potential criminal prosecution for officials who allow biological males to compete in women’s and girls’ sports.
The recent high school sports season has featured several instances of female athletes protesting and demonstrating against transgender opponents, whether it be forfeits or medal podium stunts, in a growing viral trend.
Fox News Digital (FND): What is your stance on the idea of criminal prosecution coming to officials who don’t enforce Title IX and allow [biological] males to compete in girls’ sports?
McMahon: “I haven’t actually addressed that with the Department of Justice, but it’s certainly something that if the president would like us to look into it, we certainly would.”
FND: Going into [the next high school sports season], how important do you think it is that high school girl athletes make an effort to demonstrate against Democrat state lawmakers that don’t enforce Title IX?
McMahon: “I think it’s very important, it’s one of the things that I mentioned today when I was delivering my remarks to this group. I congratulated those young women for taking such a stand and I encouraged them to continue to do that.
“Because that’s what’s going to make a difference, is to have these women athletes and these girl athletes who are really very strong and deserve the right to be able to play in the sport of their choice, but to compete against girls, because it’s just an unfair playing field otherwise.
“And they have to stand up for their own rights. And also know that we’re going to be standing behind them.”
FND: What can states [like California, Maine and Minnesota] expect in the second half of the year now that we’re going on four to five months since President Trump signed the [Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports] executive order and they’re still not following it?
McMahon: “They run the risk of having their federal funding withdrawn. That’s the main thing that’s on the table. We have a task for that the Department of Education is doing with the Department of Justice to investigate Title IX violations and that’s what we’re doing. So the penalties are on the table for those that we find to be in violation.”
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