In a move that’s sparked both outrage and eyebrow-raising, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office took a controversial jab at U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon. This comes after McMahon announced that the state violated Title IX by permitting transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports. Rather than a formal response, Newsom’s press team posted a decades-old WWE clip on social media, showing McMahon being body-slammed by wrestler Glenn Thomas Jacobs, aka 'Kane,' in a dramatic 'tombstone piledriver' move.

The timing couldn’t be worse. Just hours after McMahon issued a 10-day ultimatum for California to revise its policies or risk losing federal K-12 funding, this video clip—meant as a jest—landed like a poorly timed punchline. Critics were quick to pounce, pointing out the irony of using footage of a man overpowering a woman to mock a policy debate centered on physical advantages in sports. One social media user quipped, 'So, a man crushing a woman is your argument for boys in girls’ sports? Bold strategy.'

Women’s rights activists and advocacy groups have also slammed the post, calling it tone-deaf and dismissive of the serious implications of the Title IX violation. McMahon, who has a storied history in wrestling as the former CEO of WWE and wife of founder Vince McMahon, didn’t mince words either. In a recent TV appearance, she reiterated the stakes: California’s education funding hangs in the balance if compliance isn’t met.

Newsom’s camp, however, doubled down with defiance. A spokesperson dismissed the ultimatum as theatrical, comparing McMahon’s approach to her WrestleMania days—'dramatic, fake, and divorced from reality.' Meanwhile, the California Department of Education insisted they’re committed to ensuring all students can participate in sports, standing by their interpretation of existing laws.

This isn’t the first time Newsom has waded into the contentious waters of transgender participation in sports. Earlier this year, in a discussion with conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, he acknowledged the 'fairness issue' as 'deeply unfair' in some cases, while also urging compassion for vulnerable communities. It’s a tightrope walk—balancing fairness with empathy—that’s proving increasingly difficult in the public eye.

As the 10-day deadline looms, all eyes are on California. Will the state amend its policies, or is this shaping up to be a legal showdown with the Department of Justice? One thing’s clear: this wrestling match is far from over.

Sports Policy News

Newsom’s Office Slammed for Mocking McMahon’s Title IX Warning with WWE Clip