Trump threatens Gavin Newsom with large fines over California trans athlete winning women’s state championships

Trans-identified male athelete AB Hernandez finished first place in the state's track and field championships over the weekend. At the meet, there were many protesters who were stating their position that boys should not play in girls' sports. The state had attempted to comply with Trump's order by making an extra place a the podium for girls who would have placed had they not been bested by males. This did not sit well with Trump, or with many spectators.

Trump posted to Truth Social, "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!!!"

Hernandez came in first place in the high jump as well as triple jump events for the state track and field championships. Hernandez cleared 5 feet and seven inches on the high jump and did not have any failed attempts. Two girls who also cleared that distance but did have some failed attempts were also featured in the winners' circle, per the new guidelines that allow girls to be essentially also-ran's in their own races.

The president has been pressuring California to comply with his executive order that bars males from women's sports, and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) issued a policy change the week before the championships, stating that there would be no female athletes displaced by male athletes in the championship. The changes were made in an apparent response to the president.

Trump threatened to pull funding from the state, however, if it does not bar men from playing in women's sports completely.

"Under this pilot entry process, any biological female student-athlete who would have earned the next qualifying mark for one of their Section's automatic qualifying entries in the CIF State meet, and did not achieve the CIF State at-large mark in the finals at their Section meet, was extended an opportunity to participate in the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships. The CIF believes this pilot entry process achieves the participation opportunities we seek to afford our student-athletes," the policy change stated.

Hernandez had won multiple first place spots in the qualifying matches, leading to the change in policy. Still, that allowed for Hernandez to compete in the championships, where the male athlete was able to come in first in the events.