Federal judge throws out Trump lawsuit over transgender athletes in California school sports
A US federal judge dismissed the Trump administration's lawsuit challenging California's policy allowing transgender girls to play on girls' school sports teams, ruling that the government failed to properly warn the state that federal funding depended on a ban. The decision is a defeat for the Department of Justice and a win for LGBTQ advocates.
In a major setback for the Trump administration, a US federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit that sought to force California to bar transgender girls from participating in girls' school sports teams. The decision by Judge Cynthia Valenzuela comes after more than a year of litigation by the Department of Justice (DoJ).
Since 2013, California has allowed transgender girls to play on girls' teams in schools, a policy that affects a tiny number of students. The Trump administration filed its lawsuit in July 2025, arguing that the policy violated Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination at schools. The case centred on five transgender girls, accusing them of taking opportunities from other girls. The DoJ maintained that California was obliged to ban transgender girls as long as its schools received federal funding.
Judge Valenzuela's final order dismissed the case, ruling that the government had not given California proper notice that its funding would be tied to banning transgender athletes. She also pointed out that federal guidance on the issue had changed repeatedly over the past decade. An executive order President Trump issued last year calling for transgender girls to be blocked from girls' sports did not provide the clear notice required, the judge said.
The ruling came two months after the US Supreme Court, with its conservative majority, upheld laws in West Virginia and Idaho that prohibit transgender girls from girls' teams. But the judge noted that the Supreme Court's decision was narrow and did not impose a national ban or settle whether Title IX allows transgender girls to compete.
A DoJ spokesperson said the department was disappointed and evaluating an appeal, reiterating the administration's commitment to preventing 'boys from playing in girls' sports'. The California Interscholastic Federation, which was named in the lawsuit, declined to comment.
California officials have estimated that fewer than 10 transgender student-athletes actively participate in sports among the state's nearly 6 million public school students. Those targeted by the lawsuit have described harassment and death threats. Rainbow Families Action, an advocacy group, called the ruling a lift of a 'significant shadow', and Trevor Norcross, father of a transgender athlete involved in the case, said the decision recognised the administration's overreach and that the fight continues elsewhere.
