Trump Administration Orders California to Ban Trans Athletes

The U.S. Department of Education, under the Trump administration, has determined that California's Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation are violating Title IX by allowing transgender girls to compete on girls’ sports teams. The federal government has given California 10 days to reverse these policies, restore awards to cisgender athletes, and issue apology letters, or risk losing federal education funding and possible referral to the Department of Justice. Education Secretary Linda McMahon framed the directive as protecting women's rights under federal law. California officials have stated they will not change their policies, defending students' rights to participate according to their gender identity. This move comes after Trump's executive order banning transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports, representing a sharp reversal from prior Biden-era policies. The administration's interpretation of Title IX in this context is novel and remains untested in the courts.