President Donald Trump is threatening sweeping financial penalties against the state of California after a biological male, competing as a transgender female, won multiple girls’ track events at the state championships. The athlete, AB Hernandez, took first place in both the high jump and triple jump, sparking national outrage and renewed concerns over fairness in women’s sports.
Trump, who has made protecting women’s sports a key plank of his administration, blasted California officials for ignoring federal guidelines. “A Biological Male competed in California Girls State Finals, WINNING BIG, despite the fact that they were warned by me not to do so,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large scale fines will be imposed!!!”
The conflict centers around Executive Order 14201, signed by Trump earlier this year, which bars transgender athletes from competing in female divisions at federally funded schools. Despite that directive, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) allowed Hernandez to participate—and even attempted to soften the backlash by issuing duplicate medals to the highest-placing biological females in events affected by transgender participation.
Critics have blasted that gesture as an insult rather than a solution, arguing it does nothing to restore fairness to the competition. Trump and his allies have called the CIF’s decision a blatant defiance of federal law and vowed consequences.
“This isn’t about politics—it’s about basic fairness,” one Trump administration official stated. “No girl should lose a championship title or scholarship opportunity because the system allows biological males to compete against them.”
Governor Gavin Newsom has so far remained silent, but his state’s long-standing policy—allowing students to participate in sports based on gender identity—puts California on a direct collision course with the Trump administration’s new federal rules. The Department of Justice has reportedly launched an investigation into whether the state’s actions constitute a violation of Title IX.
As the controversy escalates, it’s becoming clear that California may become ground zero in the nationwide battle over transgender athletes in school sports. For Trump, the issue is not just a cultural flashpoint—it’s a legal and constitutional matter, and one he’s vowing to enforce with financial muscle.
With lawsuits looming, federal funding at risk, and growing backlash from parents and athletes, the stakes for California—and the future of girls’ sports—could not be higher.