President Donald Trump issued a sharp rebuke to California Governor Gavin Newsom this week, threatening to withhold federal funding from the state over its controversial policy allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports.
The firestorm centers on a high school junior, AB Hernandez, a male athlete identifying as transgender, who recently took first place in the girls’ long jump and triple jump at the Southern Section finals—securing a spot in California’s state championship. The incident has sparked outrage among parents, athletes, and advocates of women’s sports.
Trump addressed the issue directly on Truth Social, writing: “California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newsom, continues to ILLEGALLY allow MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN’S SPORTS. This is TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.”
He went on to warn that unless California complies with Executive Order 14201—which mandates that eligibility in women’s sports must be based on biological sex—significant federal funding to the state could be pulled.
The executive order, signed earlier this year, is part of Trump’s broader agenda to restore fairness in athletics and protect women’s sports from being overrun by left-wing gender ideology. It codifies that participation in federally funded women’s sports programs must be reserved for biological females.
Despite acknowledging fairness concerns in a recent interview, Governor Newsom has refused to revise California’s policies, which continue to permit athletes to compete based on gender identity rather than biological sex. That refusal has placed California in direct conflict with federal directives under the Trump administration.
Critics say the state’s policy undermines decades of progress in women’s athletics and deprives young female athletes of the opportunity to compete on a level playing field. Supporters of the executive order argue it’s not about exclusion, but about preserving fairness, safety, and integrity in women’s competition.
As the state championship nears, tensions are mounting between the federal government and one of the nation’s most far-left state administrations. Trump’s message to California is clear: respect biological reality—or face the consequences.