Trump Threatens Large Fines Over California Trans Athlete Wins

President Donald Trump has vowed to impose substantial fines on California after a transgender athlete, AB Hernandez, competed and won multiple events at the state's high school track and field championships, despite his prior warnings. The California Interscholastic Federation recently changed its rules to allow athletes assigned female at birth to receive medals based on where they would have placed if a transgender athlete had not competed, resulting in shared podiums. The Justice Department, under Trump's administration, has threatened legal action against California public schools, arguing that allowing transgender athletes in female sports violates the Equal Protection Clause and constitutes sex discrimination. Trump has also referenced his executive order banning transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports and has warned that federal funding could be withheld from states that do not comply, with California and other states like Maine resisting the order. While some athletes have expressed camaraderie with Hernandez, the issue has sparked national controversy and legal disputes over the balance between transgender rights and protections for cisgender female athletes. Governor Gavin Newsom's office has not yet responded to Trump's threats, and the dispute highlights ongoing tensions between federal directives and state policies on transgender participation in sports.