Maine Governor Janet Mills pushed back Monday against President Donald Trump’s demand for a personal apology in an ongoing clash over the state’s policy allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ and women’s sports. While attending an event in Bangor on March 24, Mills responded to Trump’s criticism and threat to withhold federal funding from the state, emphasizing that her concerns were rooted in constitutional law, not culture wars, March 24 reported by WMTW.
“My issue is about the rule of law, pure and simple. It’s not about transgender sports. It’s about who makes the laws and who enforces the laws,” Mills said. She further underscored her position by referencing the Constitution directly. “I read the Constitution. The Constitution says that the president, the chief executive, shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed,” Mills stated.
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“That’s just fundamental law. And I stand for the rule of law and the separation of powers. Look, the issue isn’t about transgender sports.” The clash stems from an executive order Trump signed in February banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. During a White House event, he reportedly threatened to withhold federal funding from Maine due to its refusal to comply, prompting the current standoff.
Governor Mills also criticized Trump’s focus, saying Mainers are still waiting for a concrete economic policy. “People in Maine and across the country are waiting for an economic plan from the current occupant of the White House. And so far, we’ve seen none.
We’ve seen tariffs and threats of tariffs that threaten our economy here in Maine and across the country.” Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows also weighed in after Trump claimed the state had issued an apology. Posting on Bluesky, she corrected the record.
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“As Maine’s Secretary of State, I am responsible for placing the state seal on all official acts of the State of Maine as part of my duties under the Maine Constitution,” Bellows wrote. “When President Trump stated that the ‘State of Maine’ had apologized, it was important for Mainers to know that no such paperwork had crossed my desk. Not that the state needs to apologize for anything, of course.”
The Trump administration had previously found Maine in violation of Title IX and issued a March 27 deadline to reverse its policy. Although the U.S. Department of Agriculture briefly paused funding to the University of Maine System, the funds were later reinstated after a federal review confirmed compliance with Title IX requirements.
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