Maine
Trump demands ‘full throated’ apology from Gov. Mills over Maine’s transgender athlete policy
Maine Gov. Janet Mills, left, speaks to President Donald Trump as at a meeting of governors in the State Dining Room at the White House in February. Pool photos via AP
President Donald Trump demanded a “full throated” apology from Gov. Janet Mills on social media Saturday as the White House continues to target Maine for its policy allowing transgender students to compete in women’s and girls sports.
“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 House Governor’s Conference, we have not heard from the Governor herself, and she is the one that matters in such cases,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform Saturday morning.
“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’ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the president’s remarks Saturday.
It was not immediately clear to whom the president was referring when he said that “the State of Maine has apologized.”
Since a heated exchange between Mills and Trump at the meeting of governors last month, Maine has been subject to a slew of federal investigations into its compliance with federal Title IX law.
The U.S. Department of Education informed Maine officials this week that the state is in violation of Title IX for allowing transgender girls to compete in high school athletics. Those findings are the same as those from a separate probe by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services into the Maine Department of Education, the organization that governs Maine high school athletics and a high school where a transgender student-athlete competes.
A third investigation, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture into the University of Maine System’s Title IX compliance, was resolved to the Trump administration’s satisfaction.
Both the Department of Education and DHHS have proposed corrective action for the Title IX violations, with DHHS saying Monday that the state has 10 days to comply or federal funds will be withheld.
Maine receives more than $280 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Education for various programs, including school lunches and special education.
During the governors meeting in February, Trump had told Mills that he would withhold federal funds from Maine if the state did not comply with an executive order banning competition in women’s and girls sports to anyone not assigned female at birth. Mills, however, maintained that his order conflicted with the Maine Human Rights Act, a state law, and told the president: “See you in court.”
The Trump administration’s challenge of Maine’s policy hinges on a new interpretation of Title IX that argues that allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports is a form of discrimination because it deprives women and girls of fair athletic opportunities; such an interpretation is yet to be tested in court. The Maine Human Rights Act, on the other hand, is a state law that, in part, recognizes the rights of students to participate in extracurricular activities without discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, among other things.
Mills has stood by Maine’s policy since the spat. After the administration announced investigations last month, Mills suggested that the conflict was about more than the rights of transgender student-athletes.
“In America, the President is neither a King nor a dictator, as much as this one tries to act like it — and it is the rule of law that prevents him from being so,” Mills said in a written statement.
“I imagine that the outcome of this politically directed investigation is all but predetermined,” Mills continued. “My Administration will begin work with the Attorney General to defend the interests of Maine people in the court of law. But do not be misled: this 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. I believe he cannot.”
The Maine Principals’ Association, which was named in the notice of violation from DHHS, is already challenging the Trump administration’s finding that is in violation. In a letter Tuesday, an attorney for the association said the organization receives no federal funding of any kind and thus cannot be in violation of Title IX.
In its report, DHHS cited a transgender Greely student’s win at an indoor track championship, as well as a report of a different transgender student from another school competing in a girls Nordic skiing race.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched a separate Title IX investigation against the University of Maine System. After briefly halting millions in federal funding for UMaine programs, the USDA said this week that it was satisfied that the system was in compliance and that its schools would be able to access federal funds going forward. UMaine officials have said that the system was already in compliance and noted that no transgender athletes were competing on any of the system’s campuses.
“The University of Maine System has always maintained its compliance with State and Federal laws and with NCAA rules,” system Chancellor Dannel Malloy said in a statement this week. “We are relieved to put the Department’s Title IX compliance review behind us.”
Maine could face up to $50 million in penalties next year due to errors in its payments for federal food benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Newly released data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture find that Maine’s error rate last year was nearly 11%, the bulk of which were overpayments. That’s in line with the U.S. average. But starting in October of next year, states with error rates above 6% must cover a portion of the SNAP benefits.
Anna Korsen, executive director of Full Plates, Full Potential, said the overpayments aren’t fraud — they’re human error. She said this new cost-shifting policy enacted last year under the Trump administration further complicates the SNAP application process.
“Instead, we could make this program more accessible and more efficient,” Korsen said. “And that would reduce the number of errors and also ensure that Mainers who are eligible for SNAP have access to it.”
She’s urging Congress to delay or reverse the policy under the farm bill that’s currently under consideration.
Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services said it’s taking steps to reduce the error rate, including modernizing its systems and hiring an additional 40 eligibility specialists.
This story appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
PORTLAND (WGME) — The third annual Celebration of America 300 is set for Thursday night at Oxford Plains Speedway.
This race was a favorite of NASCAR star Kyle Busch, who tragically passed away back in May. He was just 41.
Now, a Maine-born driver who worked on Busch’s team is ready to take the 8 car into victory lane.
For the past five years, Windham native Derek Kneeland was Busch’s eye in the sky, working as a spotter for the cup star. Kneeland says his relationship with Busch was like a brotherhood.
“I was fortunate enough where I got to have a personal relationship with him,” Kneeland said. “He came up, and he ran several races with me in late models and stuff at Oxford and Lee Speedway, and we got to do a lot of cool things together.”
Kneeland says dealing with the sudden loss has been both painful and difficult.
“It’s still hard,” Kneeland said. “I’m having a hard time with it. The weekdays are the hardest. At the track is where I’m most comfortable.”
Kneeland will be at the track and behind the wheel Thursday night, competing in the Celebration of America 300, driving the number 8 car.
“You know, a few days after everything went down, his dad called me, and his dad is a man of very few words, and I said, ‘You know, I’m thinking about running the 8 or 51 as long as I have your guys’ blessing, I would like to do that.’ And he said, ‘Short track world knows him as 51, but the world knows him as 8,’” Kneeland said.
Kneeland says it will be an emotional race, but he’s confident he’ll have a special co-pilot leading the way.
“Hoping he’s going to be on my shoulder and give me the guiding way and but to win it for Kyle, I think that would put the stamp on it,” Kneeland said.
FRIENDSHIP, Maine — A federal judge has ordered U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement not to relocate a Friendship man who ICE agents arrested Saturday.
Dhavalkumar Kalidas Patel was seized by four ICE agents at Wallace’s Market, which Patel and his wife operate on Harbor Road in Friendship.
His wife said the agents did not say why he was being taken away in handcuffs.
Attorney Audrey Richardson of Greater Boston Legal Services filed a motion for habeas corpus, meaning he is to be brought to a court in person.
U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts issued an emergency order hours after Patel was seized that prohibits him from being moved elsewhere.
“To provide a fair opportunity for the judge who will be randomly assigned to this case to review the merits of the petition and to rule on any contested issues of jurisdiction, unless otherwise ordered by the assigned judge, respondents will not remove the petitioner from the jurisdiction of the United States or transfer petitioner to a judicial district outside that of Massachusetts for a period of at least 72 hours from the time this Order is docketed,” Talwani wrote.
Patel is being held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
The petition filed by the attorney representing Patel argues that he is being held unlawfully.
No further hearing dates have been scheduled, but the federal government has until July 6 to file a response.
Richardson issued a statement on the arrest.
“This is another example of ICE illegally and illegitimately taking someone who is working hard to support their family,” she said, including a child born in the United States. “The family is a critical part of the fabric of a small community.”
The Patels have operated the store since 2024. The attorney said ICE agents initially did not even identify themselves. They did not say where he was being taken but he was allowed to make a call when they stopped in Scarborough.
Rob Sample, a customer of the store, said he could not understand why such an action was taken.
“We appreciate them,” he said of the Patel family, adding that they work hard to provide a community service by operating the store.
Knox County Sheriff Patrick Polky said ICE notified his department after its action. He noted the agency is not required to notify the department.
Patel is a native of India.
This story appears through a media partnership with Midcoast Villager.
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