The Trump administration sued Maine on Wednesday over policies that allow some transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports, claiming the state is violating a federal law intended to prevent discrimination based on sex.
Attorney General Pam Bondi, announcing the move at a news conference while flanked by young female athletes from the state, acknowledged that Maine’s policies permitted very few transgender students to compete — perhaps only two, according to state officials.
“I don’t care if it’s one, I don’t care if it’s two, I don’t care if it’s 100 — it’s going to stop, and it’s going to stop in every single state,” said Ms. Bondi, who suggested that the Justice Department was considering similar action against Minnesota and California for failing to comply with demands by President Trump that the states immediately reverse course.
The lawsuit came just days after the administration threatened to cut off funding to Maine’s public schools and lunch programs through grants from the Education and Agriculture Departments. A federal judge temporarily blocked the move from going into effect.
The Justice Department has also pulled $1.5 million in grants from Maine’s corrections department for housing a transgender woman in a women’s prison, according to a fact sheet distributed by officials.
The lawsuit was not unexpected. Maine’s Democratic governor, Janet Mills, has said she expected the department to take such action, defiantly telling Mr. Trump, “See you in court,” after he began ramping up attacks on her.
“This matter has never been about school sports or the protection of women and girls, as has been claimed,” Ms. Mills said in a statement. “It is about states’ rights and defending the rule of law against a federal government bent on imposing its will, instead of upholding the law.”
The government accused officials in Maine of “defiantly flouting federal anti-discrimination law,” according to a 31-page complaint filed in Maine federal court.
The complaint cited a handful of events in which transgender athletes competed, including pole-vaulting, cross-country and ski competitions.
Ms. Bondi, who was joined by Education Secretary Linda McMahon and the activist Riley Gaines, said the Justice Department did not act lightly. “We don’t want to be suing people,” she added. “We want them to comply with the law, and that’s what we’re doing.”
During a question-and-answer period afterward, Ms. Bondi said she had spoken with Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania after an arson attack on his residence while his family was at home.
“It is absolutely horrific what happened to him,” she said. “I firmly believe that they wanted to kill him.”
The man charged with setting fire staged the attack because he believed Mr. Shapiro’s stance on the war in Gaza was leading to the deaths of Palestinians, according to a police search warrant made public after Ms. Bondi’s appearance.
Ms. Bondi added that federal law enforcement officials were assisting local authorities in the investigation.
But she would not call the fire domestic terrorism — after repeatedly using that label for attacks on Tesla property, which did not entail attacks on people.
Glenn Thrush covers the Department of Justice for The Times and has also written about gun violence, civil rights and conditions in the country’s jails and prisons.
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