Trump threatens to fine Calif for ignoring his demand to bar trans athlete from girl's competition
Transgender athlete AB Hernandez took first place in the state finals in the girls' high-jump and triple-jump competition.
President Trump on Tuesday morning threatened California with heavy fines after allowing a transgender athlete to compete in the state's girls' high school track-and-field finals.
"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 said on Trump Social. "As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large scale fines will be imposed!!!"
Trump, before last weekend's finals, threatened to withhold federal funding from California if the state did not bar the trans girl from competition. Transgender athlete AB Hernandez took first place in the high jump and the triple jump.
Before the event, and in apparent response to Trump's threat, the governing body of the state's high school sport changed the rules of the championship to allow more girls to compete in events in which Hernandez also competed.
The Justice Department followed the announcement with its own: that the agency had sent legal notices to the federation, the California attorney general and state superintendent of public instruction, saying it was joining an Education Department investigation into California's transgender sports policies.