After Maine’s Democratic Governor Janet Mills took a stand against President Trump during a meeting at the White House, she emerged as a folk hero within her party and faced scrutiny as her state now undergoes a federal investigation by the Department of Education.
On Friday, Ms. Mills, 77, firmly told Mr. Trump that she would not comply with his executive order prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports, asserting, “See you in court,” while sitting among a group of bipartisan governors in the White House’s State Dining Room. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Department of Education alerted Maine officials about a “directed investigation” of the state’s education department.
Craig Trainor, acting head of the U.S. Department of Education’s civil rights division, stated that the Trump administration would utilize every means necessary to ensure that taxpayer dollars do not support “blatant civil rights violators.” He indicated that Maine could forfeit federal funding if it failed to comply with the order.
Ms. Mills remained resolute.
“Let there be no confusion: This issue extends beyond who competes in sports; it’s about whether a president can impose obedience to his directives, disregarding the rule of law,” the governor articulated in a statement regarding the rising tensions. “I believe he cannot.”
This confrontation has propelled Ms. Mills, a staple in Maine politics, into the national spotlight. Her resistance against the Trump administration’s stringent immigration and anti-abortion policies contributed to her election as the state’s first female governor.
Throughout her nearly five decades in state politics, her advocacy for law enforcement and her career as a criminal prosecutor have marked her tenure.
Growing up in Farmington, Maine, a hub for agriculture and manufacturing, she was raised in a politically active home. Her father, Sumner Peter Mills Jr., was a lawyer and Republican state legislator who served as Maine’s U.S. attorney during the Eisenhower and Nixon administrations.
After completing her education at the University of Massachusetts and the University of Maine School of Law, Ms. Mills became the first female criminal prosecutor in the Maine attorney general’s office. In a 1978 interview, she noted, “I enjoy prosecuting murder trials the most.”
Following her pioneering role, she also became the first woman in New England to secure a district attorney position, advocating for improved support for domestic violence victims through the criminal justice system. In 2002, she was elected to the State Legislature, and in 2009, she achieved the position of Maine’s first female attorney general.
While holding the position of Maine’s top prosecutor, Ms. Mills often found herself at odds with Paul LePage, the conservative governor aligned with Trump. After Mr. LePage vetoed a law enhancing police access to opioid overdose medications, she reallocated settlement funds to provide for the treatment. Moreover, she took a stand against Mr. LePage’s support for Mr. Trump’s 2017 immigration ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries, challenging the executive order in court, leading to an unsuccessful lawsuit against her by Mr. LePage.
In 2019, with Mr. LePage’s term limit reached, Ms. Mills was elected to lead the state.
Focusing on economic policies and enhancing health insurance coverage, she also collaborated with legislators to ensure health insurers do not discriminate against transgender individuals and to authorize gender-affirming hormone therapy for those aged 16 and older under certain conditions. Additionally, she worked to implement a law protecting gender transition care providers from lawsuits from other states.
While Ms. Mills has not passed any legislation concerning transgender athletes, her office is not responsible for deciding who participates in high school sports; that decision lies with the Maine Principals’ Association, an independent body overseeing student athletics in the state.
Prior to the election, Mr. Trump appeared unaware of Ms. Mills’s identity. Campaigning in October, he mistakenly identified her as a man during a call with supporters and incorrectly claimed that she intended to bring 75,000 immigrants to the state. “He’s weak and ineffective,” Mr. Trump remarked.
Vice President Kamala Harris carried Maine, yet the voters leaned more conservative than in previous elections. Ms. Mills adopted a balanced response to Mr. Trump’s victory, expressing to the Portland Press Herald her intent to support policies that benefit Maine while opposing those that would harm it.
“It’s as straightforward as that,” Ms. Mills stated.
Following her confrontation with Mr. Trump, she expressed foreboding that Maine would not be the last state scrutinized by the president for resisting directives that contradict the law.
“You must consider: Who will he target next, and what actions will he take?” she asked. “Will it be you? Will it be due to your race or religion? Will it be for your appearance or differing beliefs? Where does it all conclude?”
