The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on California following a transgender teenager’s victory in two state track titles. Sixteen-year-old AB Hernandez placed first at the California high school championships, drawing national attention and sparking a sharp rebuke from federal officials, per CBSNews.

Days later, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, led by Harmeet Dhillon, issued a letter accusing the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) of violating the Constitution. The CIF’s bylaw allows students to compete in alignment with their gender identity, regardless of the gender listed on official records. Dhillon’s letter, sent to all California public school districts, demanded they abandon the policy and certify compliance by June 9.

According to Dhillon, the CIF’s approach amounts to “unconstitutional sex discrimination,” citing the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Her letter specifically warned that knowingly limiting athletic opportunities for female athletes based on sex could result in legal consequences. Though Hernandez wasn’t named in the letter, she became a flashpoint the next morning when President Trump posted on Truth Social that California would face “large scale fines.”

The California Interscholastic Federation had recently adopted a pilot program for the championship meet that expanded eligibility for female athletes. That program enabled Hernandez to compete and share the podium with two other runners in one of her title events. The pilot rule applied only to events in which she participated.

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Hernandez Responds, Investigation Begins

Amid the growing uproar, Hernandez appears unfazed. In an interview with Capital & Main, she addressed the backlash directly. “I'm still a child,” she said. “You're an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person.”

Meanwhile, acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced that the Central District of California has launched an investigation into CIF’s policy. This adds another layer of federal scrutiny to an already tense situation, as political lines deepen over trans inclusion in high school athletics.

With Trump reigniting the culture war over transgender athletes, California’s school system now faces pressure—not just from vocal critics, but from the federal government itself.