“What authority does he have to discriminate against Mainers based on whether their governor apologizes? None,” stated a Georgetown University professor.
On Saturday, President Donald Trump utilized his platform on Truth Social to demand an apology from Democratic Governor Janet Mills of Maine following a tense confrontation at the White House in February. The dispute arose during a discussion about an executive order that prohibits transgender women and girls from participating in women’s sports.
This incident has led to increased scrutiny of Maine, characterized by several investigations and reductions in funding, actions that local media, including the Maine Morning Star, suggest are punitive.
Trump expressed on Truth Social that while the state of Maine has issued an apology for their governor’s “strong, but totally incorrect” remarks regarding men participating in women’s sports at the White House Governor’s Conference, Governor Mills herself has not apologized, and her personal acknowledgment is crucial in this matter.
He further stated, “We require a comprehensive apology directly from the governor and an assurance that she will not again unlawfully oppose the federal government before this matter can be resolved.”
According to Politico, Trump’s statement suggests that his administration may continue to focus on Maine unless he receives the apology he is seeking.
Former NBCUniversal executive Mike Sington commented on the situation, “King Trump demands an apology from the Governor of Maine because she embarrassed him. Pathetic.”
The clarity of Trump’s statement about the “state of Maine” having apologized was questioned by numerous media sources.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows clarified on Bluesky, “Can confirm ‘state of Maine’ hasn’t apologized. (As the official keeper of all state records and guardian of the seal).”
Jonathan Ladd, an associate professor at Georgetown University, criticized Trump’s actions, stating, “Trump is constitutionally obliged to ensure U.S. laws are executed faithfully. What legal grounds does he have to treat the citizens of Maine differently based on whether their governor apologizes? There are none.”
The feud originated from an exchange at a White House event with the National Governors Association on February 21. “We’re going to follow the law, sir. We’ll see you in court,” Mills said to the president, referencing the Maine Human Rights Act. This law, amended four years prior, includes gender identity as a protected class. Mills, along with Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey, has argued that this state law overrides the president’s order that bars transgender girls from participating in sports aligned with their gender identity.
Following this altercation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found Maine in violation of Title IX for allowing transgender girls to compete in women’s sports. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture concluded an investigation into the University of Maine System’s compliance with Title IX, and the Trump administration briefly halted the process allowing parents to register their newborns for a social security card at hospitals, among other actions.
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