Trump threatens ‘large-scale’ fines on california after trans athlete wins girls’ track events

President Trump declared early Tuesday that “large scale fines” will be slapped on California after a transgender athlete racked up a pair of wins at a girls’ high school track and field

championship, despite the commander-in-chief’s prior warnings against allowing such entries. AB Hernandez, of Jurupa Valley High School in Southern California, captured first place in the

girls’ high jump and triple jump events at the May 31 meet in Clovis. “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 declared on Truth Social. “As Governor Gavin Newscum fully understands, large scale fines will be imposed!!!” Last week, under pressure from the Trump administration,

the California Interscholastic Federation, which governs high school sports in the state, adjusted its rules to allow biological females who lost qualifying position to transgender athletes

to compete. EXPLORE MORE The CIF also awarded first-place medals to the best biological female athlete in both events, creating an awkward situation in which Hernandez had to share the

first-place step with a rival. Hernandez easily won the girls’ high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 7 inches with no failed attempts. Female competitors Jillene Wetteland and Lelanie Laruelle

also cleared that mark, allowing them to share the podium with Hernandez. Additionally, Hernandez easily won the triple jump with a distance of 42 feet, 2 inches. The closest rival was Kira

Grant Hatcher with a jump of 40 feet, 5 inches. Trump previously warned that federal funding would be “held back, maybe permanently,” if the Golden State didn’t adhere to his February

executive order to safeguard women’s sports. The president also said at the time that he would order “local authorities, if necessary, to not allow” a transgender athlete to compete in the

women’s track and field contest, though he did not mention Hernandez by name. Newsom’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In March, Newsom made a shocking public

admission to conservative pundit Charlie Kirk that he believes it’s “deeply unfair” to allow transgender athletes to compete against biological women. The Trump administration previously

launched an inquiry into Maine to determine whether it was breaking Title IX rules by allowing transgender athletes to compete, putting at least $250 million in annual federal funding for

the state in the crosshairs. Last month, the White House agreed to unfreeze funding for Maine amid litigation and negotiations. Also last month, the Justice Department announced plans to

investigate whether California’s School Success and Opportunity Act, which allows transgender students to compete in women’s sports, violates Title IX. On Monday, Harmeet Dhillon, assistant

attorney general for civil rights, threatened to take legal action against California over that policy.