Threatening to withhold funding for California, Trump cites case of transgender athlete at IE school
JURUPA VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- In a social media post on Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal funding for California because the state, he said, under Gov. Gavin Newsom, "continues to ILLEGALLY allow 'MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN'S SPORTS.'"
In a statement released on Trump's Truth Social media site, the president cited the case of AB Hernandez, a junior at Jurupa Valley High School who competes in girls track and field.
Three other Southern California schools -- JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, and Irvine's Crean Lutheran High School -- have banded together against the California Interscholastic Federation's policy allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports.
The CIF is the governing board for California high school sports.
Hernandez won titles in the triple and long jump this month during the CIF Southern Section high school track and field postseason. Trump said Hernandez's participation "IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS."
He said "large scale" federal funding to California will be held up, possibly permanently, if the state doesn't comply with an executive order he signed in February to bar such athletes from female sports.
Trump noted Newsom's own statement earlier this year that allowing transgender women and girls to compete in female sports is "deeply unfair." Trump said he would speak with Newsom on Tuesday to "find out which way he wants to go."
ABC7 reached out to AB Hernandez's mother, who declined a request for an interview.
California law, enacted before Newsom became governor, requires schools to allow transgender athletes to play on school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.
In Trump's social media post Tuesday, he said: "In the meantime I am ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals. This is a totally ridiculous situation!!!"
Later on Tuesday, the CIF announced it is changing its competition rules at this weekend's state track and field championships to allow more girls to take part amid the controversy.
The CIF said it was extending access for more cisgender athletes to participate in the championship meet.
"Under this pilot entry process, any biological female student-athlete who would have earned the next qualifying mark for one of their Section's automatic qualifying entries in the CIF State meet, and did not achieve the CIF State at-large mark in the finals at their Section meet, was extended an opportunity to participate in the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships," the group said in a statement. "The CIF believes this pilot entry process achieves the participation opportunities we seek to afford our student-athletes."
The federation didn't specify whether the change applies to all events or only events where a trans athlete has qualified for the final. The change only applies to this weekend's competition.
The finals are scheduled to be held Friday and Saturday at Buchanan High School in Fresno County.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
