DOJ Targets California’s Trans Athlete Rules as Trump Eyes Girls’ Track Championship

The U.S. Department of Justice, under Attorney General Pam Bondi, has launched a probe into California’s high school sports policies, zeroing in on whether the state’s allowance of transgender athletes in girls’ sports violates Title IX. This move comes as President Donald Trump keeps a close watch on the upcoming girls’ track and field championship, where a transgender athlete, AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley High School, is set to compete in the long jump and triple jump after dominating sectional finals.

Title IX Under Fire: The DOJ’s investigation targets the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and state Attorney General Rob Bonta, scrutinizing policies that have permitted transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports since 2014. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon didn’t mince words: “It’s perverse to allow males to compete against girls, invade their private spaces, and take their trophies.” The DOJ argues that these policies undermine the equal opportunities Title IX was designed to protect.

A Local Fight Goes Federal: The investigation cites a lawsuit from two families at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside. Taylor Starling and Kaitlyn Slavin’s families claim the school sidelined Starling from her varsity cross-country spot for a transgender athlete and equated their “Save Girls Sports” shirts to hate symbols. United States Attorney Bill Essayli, a former California lawmaker who’s long championed this cause, is leading the charge, vowing to halt any violation of women’s civil rights.

Trump’s Shadow Looms Large: President Trump has already shown he’s not afraid to play hardball, having pushed a similar lawsuit against Maine for comparable policies. His recent Truth Social post warned California and Governor Gavin Newsom of potential federal funding cuts if transgender athletes compete in girls’ events. Hours later, the CIF tweaked its rules for the upcoming championship, allowing biologically female athletes who narrowly missed qualifying a shot at the title—a move Newsom’s office praised as “a reasonable, respectful way to navigate a complex issue.”

California’s Defiance: Despite the DOJ’s scrutiny, Jurupa Unified School District insists it’s following state law, which mandates that students compete based on their gender identity. California AG Rob Bonta’s office doubled down, pledging to defend laws protecting transgender students from discrimination. Meanwhile, the CIF and Riverside Unified School District have stayed mum on the investigation.

A National Debate on the Track: As California’s girls’ track championship approaches, the nation watches. Will the DOJ’s intervention reshape high school sports, or will California hold firm? For now, the starting line is drawn, and the race is on—both on the track and in the courts.