Trump vows ‘large scale fines’ after transgender athlete wins California track and field events

President Trump vowed to impose hefty fines on California after a transgender athlete won two high school track and field championships, stirring up national controversy.

Trump called out California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) over the situation, saying he knows the administration could enforce penalties for allowing Jurupa Valley junior AB Hernandez to compete.

“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 Justice Department threatened to take legal action against California public schools Monday, arguing that the pilot policy created by California’s interscholastic athletic governing body allowed the transgender athlete to compete violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution and discriminated against athletes on the basis of sex, The New York Times reported.

After Hernandez’s success earlier in the postseason drew national attention, California’s high school sports governing body implemented a rule change for the state championship that allowed additional girls to compete and medal in Hernandez’s events. She went on to win the triple jump and high jump and placed second in the long jump at this weekend’s state championships.

Trump signed an executive order in February that banned transgender athletes from competing in girls and women’s sports after promising to do so on the campaign trail.

The order directs his administration to halt funding for schools that refuse to ban transgender athletes but some states have not compiled, including Maine.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) has said the president’s order violates the state’s antidiscrimination law and Trump has argued the state is violating Title IX, the federal civil rights law against sex discrimination, by allowing trans girls to compete.