President Donald Trump said late Monday night that California would be hit with major fines after a trans-identifying male athlete won state titles in multiple high school track and field events over the weekend.
Trump called out the state and its Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, for not complying with his executive order banning boys from competing against girls in athletic events. Controversy erupted in California as AB Hernandez, a 16-year-old boy who identifies as a girl, took home gold medals in the high jump and triple jump at the state finals on Saturday.
“A Biological Male competed in California Girls State Finals, WINNING BIG, despite the fact that they were warned by me not to do so. As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large scale fines will be imposed!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The president previously blasted Newsom and California and threatened to cut federal funding from the state if it continued to allow Hernandez to compete against girls in sports. Trump said last week that he planned on speaking to Newsom about the issue “to find out which way he wants to go.”
The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) revised its rules for transgender athletes ahead of the state championships, allowing Hernandez to still compete in the girls category but awarding girls their places on the podium, even if they scored lower than the trans-identifying boy. The policy change was applauded by Newsom, who called it “a reasonable, respectful way to navigate a complex issue without compromising competitive fairness.” Many conservatives and women’s sports advocates, however, argued that the new policy doesn’t go far enough, as it still allows Hernandez to compete against girls.
In the high jump, Hernandez shared the first-place spot with “co-winners” Jillene Wetteland and Lelani Laruelle, the highest-scoring girls. In the long jump, Hernandez took second place, sharing the podium with Brooke White. Long jump champion Loren Webster beat Hernandez by just a few inches.
“Sharing the podium was nothing but an honor,” White said, according to KCRA. “As a part of the queer community I want AB Hernandez to know we all have her back.”
The Trump administration has threatened to cut federal funding from states — such as California, Maine, and Minnesota — that it says violate federal Title IX protections for girls and women by allowing boys and men to compete in female sports. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon announced last week that her office is investigating California’s high school sports governing body over potential Title IX violations.
“My office has found reasonable cause to believe that CIF, too, is engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination against female athletes,” Dhillon wrote.