The track field in California is heating up, and it’s not just from the spring sun. After AB Hernandez, a transgender high school athlete from Jurupa Valley, qualified for the California State Championships, an already intense debate surrounding transgender athletes in girls’ sports has exploded into the national spotlight.
Now, President Donald Trump has jumped into the conversation, taking direct aim at California’s leadership.
Hernandez, a junior, earned top spots in the long jump and triple jump during the CIF Southern Section Masters Meet last weekend. Their victories booked a ticket to the state finals in Clovis, scheduled for May 30 and 31. But as Hernandez stood on the podium, controversy followed closely behind.
A fellow competitor refused to join the medal ceremony until Hernandez stepped down, a moment that quickly went viral and added fuel to the fire.
Trump Demands Action, Threatens Funding
Trump didn’t waste time making his stance known. In a fiery post on Truth Social, he criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom and warned of consequences if Hernandez is allowed to compete.
“California, under the leadership of Radical Left Democrat Gavin Newscum, continues to ILLEGALLY allow ‘MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN’S SPORTS,’” Trump wrote. “This week a transitioned Male athlete, at a major event, won ‘everything,’ and is now qualified to compete in the ‘State Finals’ next weekend.”
Trump didn’t hold back. He accused the state of undermining fair play and threatened to withhold federal funding if authorities fail to block Hernandez’s participation. “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 added. “I am ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals.”
The tension follows a failed Senate vote earlier this month on a Republican-backed bill that sought to restrict Title IX protections based solely on biological sex. While the bill stalled, Trump has continued pushing the issue, now using the Hernandez case as a flashpoint.
Parents and athletes have also joined the outcry. In one viral TikTok video, a mother confronted Hernandez’s mom, calling her a “coward” for letting her child compete in girls’ events. The confrontation captured the emotional and deeply personal stakes at the center of this national debate.
As the finals approach, all eyes remain on Clovis and whether the political pressure will override athletic protocol.
