First Lady Melania Trump cited a passage from her best-selling memoir Tuesday after the Supreme Court ruled that states can restrict women’s and girls’ sports teams to biological females, saying the ruling is in line with a position she has long held.
Trump cited a passage from Melania in a post on X months before the court’s landmark 6-3 decision that states may decide who can play in women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause.
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“As many of you may know, I fully support the LGBTQIA+ community. But we must also ensure that our female athletes are protected and respected,” the first lady wrote on X, pointing readers to page 156 of her memoir, “Melania.”
“The U.S. Supreme Court has now legally confirmed this opinion: ‘Under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, may schools maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females? … The answer is yes,’” Trump continued, citing the court’s decision.
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“America, we can support the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and also protect opportunities for female athletes,” she added. “Respect everyone and keep girls’ sports fair. Both ideals are essential.”
The first lady’s comments came after the Supreme Court established a new nationwide precedent allowing states to maintain women’s and girls’ sports teams for biological females.
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The Supreme Court declared that the states were responsible for determining the status of transgender athletes in women’s sports, as Trump celebrated the ruling.
The decision states the obvious: “The differences [between mean and women] include, among other things, height, weight, strength, speed, endurance, and jumping ability.”
“Therefore, in contact sports, forcing female athletes to compete against males can create significant safety risks. And in virtually all competitive sports, forcing female athletes to compete against males can undermine competitive fairness,” Kavanaugh wrote.
“As many of you may know, I fully support the LGBTQIA+ community. But we must also ensure that our female athletes are protected and respected.” – MELANIA, #1 NYT Bestseller, (p. 156)
The U.S. Supreme Court has now legally confirmed this opinion:
“Under Title IX and the Equal…— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) June 30, 2026
Justice Sotomayor submitted an opinion that concurred with the judgment in part and dissented in part, and Justices Kagan and Jackson concurred. Jackson submitted an opinion that partially concurred with the judgment and partially disagreed.
They may establish eligibility for women’s and girls’ sports based on biological sex.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Cooley Legal represented the trans athletes, while the law firm Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) supported the states.
Currently, over half of the states in the United States enforce the protection of women’s sports without the threat of a legal challenge.
Nevertheless, 23 states still lack such laws, and some protect trans athletes in girls’ sports.
On February 5, 2025, President Trump signed the “No Men In Women’s Sports” executive order, which resulted in additional restrictions on trans athletes and a requirement for states to comply with the order.
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Conversely, the order also led to a highly publicized altercation between Maine Governor Janet Mills and President Trump shortly after it was signed.
Trump consistently issued threats to suspend federal funding to states that failed to comply with his executive order. Maine’s funds were frozen by Trump; however, a federal judge determined that they must be unfrozen.
However, legislation currently protects those states.
The Idaho case was brought by Hecox, a 24-year-old transgender woman who challenged the state’s law after seeking to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University.
Although Hecox did not make either varsity team, she later played club sports.
The West Virginia lawsuit was filed by Heather Jackson on behalf of her child, B.P.J., a 15-year-old transgender high school student who has publicly identified as a girl since elementary school.
According to court filings, B.P.J. has received treatment with puberty blockers and estrogen hormone therapy and has competed on her school’s track and cross-country teams.
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.
