Trump Calls Out Newsom, Threatens To Cut Funding Over High School Boy Competing In Girls’ Sports

President Donald Trump blasted California and its Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, on Tuesday for allowing men to compete in women’s sports, threatening to freeze federal funding going to the state.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump called out California after a male athlete advanced to the state championships in the girls’ long jump and triple jump, which will take place next week. Trans-identifying athlete AB Hernandez, a junior in high school, won two division titles in the triple and long jump at the Southern Section finals on May 17, according to Sports Illustrated. Hernandez posted a jump of 19 feet, 2.75 inches, which beat out second-place finisher Katie McGuinness’ jump of 18 feet, 9.5 inches.

Trump called the participation of Hernandez in the girls division “TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.”

“California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newscum, continues to ILLEGALLY allow ‘MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN’S SPORTS,'” Trump wrote. “This week a transitioned Male athlete, at a major event, won ‘everything,’ and is now qualified to compete in the ‘State Finals’ next weekend. As a Male, he was a less than average competitor. As a Female, this transitioned person is practically unbeatable.”

“Please be hereby advised that large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently, if the Executive Order on this subject matter is not adhered to,” added Trump, referring to the order he signed on February 5 pushing to ban men from competing in women’s sports.

McGuinness, a senior, told Fox News last week that “girls, every day, are losing their spot due to biological boys beating out biological girls.” She added that her second-place finish was “discouraging” because she couldn’t beat someone “genetically different.”

High School Senior Long Jumper, Katie McGuinness joins @SandraSmithFox to discuss her 'discouraging' loss to a biological male.#AmericaReports pic.twitter.com/lvWzYqnuHI

— America Reports (@AmericaRpts) May 21, 2025

Newsom has suggested that he is also opposed to men competing against women, telling conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in March that “it’s deeply unfair.” The Democratic governor, however, has not taken any action to prevent trans-identifying boys and men from playing girls’ sports. Newsom said a few weeks after his discussion with Kirk that the issue of men in women’s sports “has been colored in and weaponized by the right to be 10 times, 100 times bigger than it is …”

“And to the extent that someone could find that right balance, I would embrace those conversations and the dignity that hopefully presents themselves in that conversation, meaning the humanity around that conversation, not the politics around that conversation,” he added, according to Fox News.

Trump said on Tuesday that he will talk to Newsom “today to find out which way he wants to go.”

“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!!!” the president added.

Trump has also gone after Maine and its Democratic governor, Janet Mills, for continuing to allow boys to compete against girls. Last month, the Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit against the state, citing Title IX. Along with pushing to force Maine to comply with Trump’s order, the lawsuit also seeks to grant females who were passed over by males their appropriate awards.