Former President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on the United States Supreme Court, asserting that justices should "lose a lot of credibility" over their handling of ongoing hearings concerning transgender athletes participating in women's sports. The controversial remarks came during a White House press conference this week, where Trump expressed disbelief at the judicial proceedings.
Supreme Court Hears Landmark Cases
The Supreme Court recently heard opening arguments in two significant cases: Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J. These cases address the constitutional rights of states to implement bans preventing biological males from competing in women's and girls' sports at both K-12 and collegiate levels. The hearings have sparked intense national debate about fairness, biology, and discrimination in athletic competition.
Trump's Strong Criticism
During his address, Trump specifically targeted several justices whom he perceived as "fighting hard for men to be able to play in women's sports." He expressed particular astonishment at their positions, stating: "I can't believe it. Some of the justices were fighting hard for men to be able to play in women's sports. A couple of them, I can't imagine it."
The former president bolstered his argument by referencing athletic records: "All you have to do is look at the records, look at weightlifting records, look at swimming records, look at track and field. This is not fair. It's very demeaning to women." Trump also took the opportunity to criticise the previous Biden administration for their supportive stance toward transgender athlete participation.
Judicial Dynamics and State Bans
Lower courts had previously ruled in favour of transgender athletes who challenged state bans in Idaho and West Virginia. These two states are among more than twenty-four Republican-led jurisdictions that have passed restrictions on transgender participation in women's sports. However, during over three hours of arguments, the conservative-dominated Supreme Court showed no clear indication that it would follow the lower courts' lead.
Instead, at least five of the six conservative justices on the nine-member bench suggested they would likely rule that such state laws do not violate either the Constitution or Title IX. This landmark legislation prohibits discrimination in education and has historically enabled dramatic growth in girls' and women's sports participation across America.
Liberal Justices Push Back
The court's liberal justices, including Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, pressed state attorneys arguing to maintain biologically female sports categories. Their questioning highlighted the complex legal and social dimensions of the issue, creating a sharp contrast with their conservative colleagues' apparent positions.
White House Response and Executive Action
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded forcefully to the Supreme Court proceedings last week, describing some justices' questioning as "quite alarming." She emphasised: "Women deserve such rights... We hope and expect that the Supreme Court will rule in the right way on this matter."
When questioned by former collegiate swimmer and conservative activist Riley Gaines about potential federal action against non-compliant states, Leavitt affirmed the administration's readiness: "Absolutely. The administration has taken action on a number of fronts against these states who are failing to uphold the president's executive orders."
President Trump signed the executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" in February 2025, formally banning transgender athletes from women's sports. According to Supreme Court documentation, thirty states currently maintain restrictions on transgender athletes competing against girls and women, though several Democratic-led states have chosen to ignore Trump's executive order.
Legal Battles and Federal Pressure
The administration has already taken legal action against California after the state refused to comply with the executive order. In May, Trump threatened to withdraw federal funding before the Justice Department filed a lawsuit against California's Department of Education. The lawsuit alleges that California's transgender athlete policies violate Title IX and are "not only illegal and unfair but also demeaning."
US Attorney General Pam Bondi has issued warnings to Minnesota and Maine, alongside California, indicating they could face similar federal challenges over their allowance of transgender athletes in women's sports. These developments signal an escalating conflict between federal mandates and state-level policies across the nation.
The Supreme Court's eventual ruling on these cases will have profound implications for sports, education, and civil rights across the United States, potentially setting legal precedents that could shape athletic policy for generations to come.
