Donald Trump has issued a number of threats to California’s federal funding in recent weeks, as he continues his war against trans athletes in women’s sports
Kai Trump is U.S. President Donald Trump’s granddaughter(Image: undefined via Getty Images)
A social media message from Kai Trump, posted during National Girls and Women in Sports Day, has come back into the spotlight as her granddad, former President Donald Trump, threatens to cut federal funding for California.
Trump took a public stance against California Governor Gavin Newsom last week when news broke that a trans athlete would be participating in the state championships, defying his executive order that prohibits biological males from competing in women’s sports. The 78-year-old warned that “large-scale federal funding” could be withheld, “maybe permanently,” if compliance with his directive is not met.
Despite the controversy, A.B. Hernandez, a 16-year-old trans athlete from Jurupa Valley, went ahead and competed in the California State championships, sparking outrage among some parents of fellow competitors. Hernandez, who is biologically male, excelled in events like the high jump, long jump, and triple jump, clinching the triple jump title by a significant margin, leaving the runner-up more than 10 feet behind.
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As the former president doubles down on his opposition to trans athletes’ participation in sports and initiates investigations into entities that have ignored his executive order, an earlier post by his granddaughter Kai, aged 17, has gained renewed attention.
On February 5, celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day, Kai Trump shared: “Sports give girls confidence, strength, and leadership skills for life. I’m grateful to have strong women who inspire me, and I know how important it is to support the next generation of female athletes.”
The golf-enthusiast teen, who is set to begin her college journey at the University of Miami later this year, didn’t explicitly address the topic of trans athletes. However, her statement clearly reflects her fervor for women’s sports and its significance for young girls.
This could explain why the U.S. President is so adamant about barring biological males from participating in women’s sports, especially considering his granddaughter is on the verge of stepping into that sphere herself – and might potentially face or be disadvantaged by an individual who was born as the opposite sex.
Trump has been trying to prevent biological male athletes from competing in women’s sports(Image: AP)
In the same weekend that Hernandez swept three events at the California State championships, another trans athlete clinched victory in the Class 2A 400-meter dash at the Washington State Track and Field Championships in Tacoma. Veronica Garcia outpaced her nearest competitor by almost a full second, breaking her own record and securing the champion’s medal for the second consecutive year.
This sparked outrage among parents when the East Valley of Spokane runner was allowed to compete.
As she crossed the finish line at Mount Tahoma High School, boos echoed from the crowd. The situation worsened during the medal ceremony when the audience cheered for every other athlete but Garcia, who was met with boos upon being announced as the winner.
Last month, President Trump issued a 10-day ultimatum to the University of Pennsylvania for allowing a transgender swimmer to compete on the women’s team and use their facilities in 2022. The university had already seen a $175 million cut in federal funding for its actions three years prior.
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The University of Pennsylvania is now being demanded to rectify the situation by erasing the records of famous trans swimmer Lia Thomas from its women’s record books and apologizing to each female swimmer – including conservative activist Riley Gaines – who was made to compete against the 25 year old.
Thomas, who last competed for the Ivy League school in Philadelphia in 2022, made history as the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title that year – a title now in jeopardy of being revoked.
