California tweaks trans athlete rules after Trump threatens to halt federal funding

After social media threats from President Donald Trump, California’s high school sports governing body said it will allow cisgender female track athletes who lost their qualifying positions to transgender competitors to still be able to compete in an upcoming state championship.

The California Interscholastic Federation announced the change on Tuesday, just hours after Trump posted on social media that he would withhold billions of dollars in federal education funds from the state if officials didn’t block a transgender female athlete from competing at the state track and field championships in Clovis next weekend.

“The CIF believes this pilot entry process achieves the participation opportunities we seek to afford our student-athletes,” the group said in a statement.

CIF had adopted its new policy before Trump issued his threat, according to Izzy Gardon, a spokesperson for the governor’s office. It’s unclear how many athletes will be affected by the rule change.

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Trump appeared to be targeting a transgender high school athlete from Riverside County who recently won regional competitions in long jump and triple jump, Politico reported. The president accused the athlete of being a “less than average competitor” as a male, but “practically unbeatable” as a female.

“THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS. 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,” he continued, referring to his February order that “rescinds all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities.”

Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener of San Francisco lambasted the president’s statement, calling the threat illegal and urging California to challenge it in court if necessary.

“Unfortunately, this is just another chapter in Donald Trump’s war on transgender people,” he told KQED. “It’s just outrageous. He needs to let California manage our own sports programs and stop it with these attacks.”

The president doesn't care about women's and girls sports, Wiener said. “What he does care about is attacking trans people and dehumanizing them.”

Under a 2013 California law, public schools are required to let students participate in all school activities and sports teams that match their gender identity.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who in March stoked controversy for saying he thinks it’s “deeply unfair” for transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports events, appeared to support the federation’s rule change.

“CIF’s proposed pilot is a reasonable, respectful way to navigate a complex issue without compromising competitive fairness — a model worth pursuing,” Gardon said in a statement. “The governor is encouraged by this thoughtful approach.”

Trump’s salvo on Tuesday marked his latest threat against a state or institution over its efforts to be more inclusive of transgender athletes.

Both Maine and Minnesota, in recent months, have successfully sued the administration to stop it from suspending federal education funding because of such policies. And in March, the White House announced it was freezing $175 million of federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania — the president’s alma mater — over the school’s policies on transgender athletes.

Wiener said states under attack from the administration need to hold the line on this and a host of other issues in what he called a larger fight against “fascism.”

“What Trump is doing is illegal,” he said. “Trump is not the king. He doesn’t get to make up the law, and he does not have the authority to revoke this funding.”

Since taking office in January, Trump has repeatedly targeted California over its policies aimed at protecting certain groups of marginalized young people, including transgender and undocumented students, whom the administration has disparaged.

This is how bullies operate, Wiener said.

“They demand things … and they tell you if you don’t do what they demand, they are going to take your lunch money,” he said. “So at some point, as a state, you have to draw the line and say ‘No.’ That’s the response to bullies.”

KQED’s Saul Gonzalez contributed to this report.