Trump Clashes With Maine Governor Over Transgender Women In Sports: 'You Better Comply'

President Donald Trump clashed with Maine Governor Janet Mills, a Democrat, over enforcing a ban of transgender women in sports, with both anticipating a legal battle on the matter.

Speaking at the National Governors Association session at the White House on Friday, Trump singled out Mills, asking if she was in the meeting. "Are you going to comply?" Trump asked, to which Mills said "I'm going to comply with state and federal law."

"Well we are the federal law. You better do it because you're not going to get any federal funding at all if you don't. Your population doesn't want men playing in women sports. You better comply because otherwise you're not getting any federal funding," Trump threatened after spotting her.

Mills responded by telling Trump she will see him "in court," prompting Trump to agree, saying "that should be a really easy one." "Enjoy your life after governor because I don't think you'll be in elected politics," he added.

Maine is among the Democratic-led states challenging Trump's executive order preventing trans athletes from competing in girls' and women's sports. The order instructs federal agencies to review funding that don't comply with the effort to end "male competitive participation in women's sports... as a matter of safety, fairness, dignity, and truth."

Mills then released a statement saying "The State of Maine will not be intimidated by the President's threats." "If the President attempts to unilaterally deprive Maine school children of the benefit of Federal funding, my Administration and the Attorney General will take all appropriate and necessary legal action to restore that funding and the academic opportunity it provides," reads a passage of the statement.

The U.S. Army this month also banned transgender individuals from enlisting and will halt gender-affirming medical procedures for service members.

"Effective immediately, all new accessions for individuals with a history of gender dysphoria are paused, and all unscheduled, scheduled, or planned medical procedures associated with affirming or facilitating a gender transition for Service members are paused. Individuals with gender dysphoria have volunteered to serve our country and will be treated with dignity and respect," the army said in a statement.

The move follows broader policy shifts within the federal government. A recent executive order asserts the military will recognize only two sexes, male and female. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously halted the recruitment of individuals diagnosed with gender dysphoria and suspended gender-affirming medical care in a February 7 memo. That memo is now central to a lawsuit, which argues the "discriminatory ban is a threat to our national security."