President Donald Trump on Saturday called for Maine Gov. Janet Mills to issue a “full throated apology” following their recent confrontation over transgender athletes.
Trump, posting on his social media platform Truth Social, also said he wanted Mills to make a statement “that she will never make such an unlawful challenge to the Federal Government again.”
The dispute began last month during a White House reception when Trump told Mills that Maine must comply with his administration’s position on transgender athletes or risk losing federal funding.
“We’ll see you in court,” Mills replied.
“Good, I’ll see you in court. I look forward to that. That should be a real easy one. And enjoy your life after governor because I don’t think you’ll be in elected politics,” Trump said.
Hours after the exchange, the Trump administration opened an investigation into the Maine Department of Education.
The U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday that it had found the state in violation of Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination, for allowing transgender girls to participate on girls’ sports teams and use girls’ facilities.
Maine has 10 days to comply with a list of federal demands or face potential prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Here is Trump’s full post on Truth Social:
“While the State of Maine has apologized for their Governor’s strong, but totally incorrect, statement about men playing in women’s sports while at the White House Governor’s Conference, we have not heard from the Governor herself, and she is the one that matters in such cases. Therefore, we need a full-throated apology from the Governor herself, and a statement that she will never make such an unlawful challenge to the Federal Government again, before this case can be settled. I’m sure she will be able to do that quite easily. Thank you for your attention to this matter and, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!! DJT”
Mills did not immediately respond, according to NBC10 Boston, but she has previously said the issue “is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a President can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.