CA Changes Rules As Trans Athlete Makes CIF Finals And Trump Threatens Funding

CALIFORNIA — After President Donald Trump threatened to withhold federal funding over a transgender Jurupa Valley athlete competing in the state track championships, California’s high school sports authority announced a new policy Tuesday to ensure “biological female” athletes were not excluded from the competition.

Trump had threatened the Golden State in a morning post on Truth Social and lambasted Gov. Gavin Newsom for continuing to "ILLEGALLY allow MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN’S SPORTS."

Trump said he planned to speak with Newsom about the matter.

“In the meantime I am ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals. This is a totally ridiculous situation!!!" he wrote.

The president was referencing a Jurupa Valley high school junior who won the girls' long jump and triple jump at the weekend's California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Masters Meet.

The Interscholastic Federation announced Tuesday that it had decided over the weekend to change the rules for athletes hoping to qualify in the track and field championship to extend an invitation to "any biological female student-athlete" who would have qualified in a competition where a transgender player took a top spot.

RELATED: Newsom: Trans Kids Playing Sports Is 'Deeply Unfair'

The rule change from the California Interscholastic Federation, described as a "pilot entry process," essentially expands the field of competitors in events at the CIF State meet set for Friday and Saturday in Clovis.

"Under this pilot entry process, any biological female student- athlete who would have earned the next qualifying mark for one of their Section's automatic qualifying entries in the CIF State meet, and did not achieve the CIF State at-large mark in the finals at their Section meet, was extended an opportunity to participate in the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships," according to CIF.

"The CIF believes this pilot entry process achieves the participation opportunities we seek to afford our student-athletes."

While the CIF did not mention transgender athletes directly, the governor’s office said the move aims to ensure “biological female” athletes are not displaced, while still allowing transgender athletes to participate.

"CIF's proposed pilot is a reasonable, respectful way to navigate a complex issue without compromising competitive fairness — a model worth pursuing," the governor's office Director of Communications Izzy Gardon said in a statement. "The governor is encouraged by this thoughtful approach."

AB Hernandez, a junior at Jurupa Valley High School, is the only openly transgender athlete competing at the CIF State Track and Field Championships at Buchanan High in Clovis. She’s ranked No. 1 in the triple jump and No. 2 in the long jump statewide, according to athletic.net.
Hernandez has claimed major wins this season, including the triple and long jump titles at the CIF-SS Division 3 meet, and the girls invitational triple jump at the Mt. SAC Relays.

Despite her athletic achievements, Hernandez has faced pushback from political leaders, including Chino Valley’s school board president, a state lawmaker, and Trump, who have called for her exclusion from girls' events.

Trump said Tuesday that local officials should step in to prevent the athlete from participating in the state finals.

"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," Trump said.

In his Tuesday post, Trump also called out Newsom for recently dubbing the issue of transgender women competing in women's sports "deeply unfair."

RELATED: 4 Recent Head-Scratching Moments From CA Governor Newsom

The statement was made on the Democratic governor's podcast, which has continued to jar his base. In this particular episode, he appeared to agree with Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, on the subject.

"I think it’s an issue of fairness. I completely agree with you on that," he said to Kirk. "It is an issue of fairness. It’s deeply unfair. I’m not wrestling with the fairness issue. I totally agree with you."

And in April, when faced with the question of whether the Golden State should adopt a law restricting transgender women from women's sports, Newsom said he would consider a discussion.

“You’re talking about a very small number of people, a very small number of athletes, and my responsibility is to address the pressing issues of our time," Newsom told reporters.

This isn't the first time Trump has threatened to pull funding from a state over the same issue. The administration said it would freeze funds intended for a Maine child nutrition program due to a disagreement between the state and Trump over transgender athletes.

Three weeks ago, Trump agreed to halt the effort to take away those funds. In response, the state said it would drop its lawsuit, which had been filed against the federal government, Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey announced.

The settlement closed a dispute first sparked by the federal government’s decision to freeze federal funds to Maine for certain administrative and technological functions in the state’s schools.

The Associated Press and City News Service contributed to this report.