Minnesota AG says state lawsuit against Trump administration aims to protect trans youth
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison says a lawsuit filed against the Trump administration intends to protect transgender children.
The first sentence of the federal suit states it aims to "stop President Trump and his administration from bullying vulnerable children in this state."
Ellison held a news conference Tuesday at the State Capitol where he was joined by transgender activists and families, including Hao Nguyen, father of an 11-year-old trans child.
"Never in my wildest imagination and dreams did I think that the bully we would have to stand up to would be the president of the United States and his administration," Nguyen said.
Ellison said two of President Trump's executive orders targeting transgender youth and adults violate both the U.S. Constitution and Title IX. The lawsuit is requesting the court declare the orders unconstitutional and unlawful, and "stop DOJ threats to Minnesota," Ellison said.
He said the lawsuit is also a response to the Trump administration's threats against Minnesota.
"I'm not going to still around and wait for the Trump administration to sue Minnesota," Ellison said. "Today, Minnesota is suing him and his administration because we will not participate in this shameful bullying."
Last week, the Department of Justice sued Maine's education department for "discriminating against women by failing to protect women in women's sports" in what U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi alleged is a violation of Title IX.
"The Department of Justice will not sit by when women are discriminated against in sports," Bondi said. "This is about sports, this is also about these young women's personal safety."
The federal government said in its lawsuit filed in Maine's federal court that the state's Department of Education is "openly and defiantly flouting anti-discrimination law by enforcing policies that require girls to compete against boys in athletic competitions designated exclusively for girls," arguing that the practice violates Title IX's "core protections." It cited three examples of boys participating in girls' sports.
Bondi added that the DOJ's actions in Maine could be followed by moves in other states, including Minnesota.
"We're looking at Minnesota, we're looking at California," Bondi said. "We're looking at many, many states, but they are the top two that should be on notice."
Bondi previously sent letters to Ellison and Erich Martens, director of the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), warning them "Minnesota should be on notice" and her department "will hold accountable states and state entities that violate federal law."
In February, Mr. Trump signed an executive order banning transgender girls and women from competing on sports teams that match their gender identity. In that order, the president mandated that Title IX be interpreted as prohibiting transgender girls and women from participating in female sports. Title IX is a federal law that bans sex discrimination in schools.
Ellison announced the president's ban was in violation of the Minnesota Human Rights Act after the MSHSL turned to his office for legal opinion following its announcement on Feb. 7 that it wouldn't comply with the order, citing the state law.
While testifying before the U.S. Congress in December 2024, NCAA President Charlie Baker said he was aware of "less than 10" transgender athletes among the more than half a million student-athletes governed by the organization.
Ellison's lawsuit was praised by OutFront Minnesota — an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization in St. Paul — saying that it is an "important action to protect the rights of Minnesotans.
"By standing up for trans athletes, we are standing up for all athletes, ensuring that teamwork, fairness, and belonging remain at the heart of the game — and that every player is treated with dignity and respect, rather than being subjected to harmful scrutiny or exclusion," Executive Director Kat Rohn wrote in a statement.
House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, wrote that the lawsuit was "a waste of taxpayer money."
"It's extremely disappointing that Attorney General Ellison would rather risk federal funding and file yet another taxpayer funded lawsuit against the Trump administration," she wrote.
Ellison said at Tuesday's news conference he will likely run for re-election in 2026, and realizes trans issues are not popular with some voters.
"I would rather lose an election than be selling out trans kids," Ellison said.
This is the 15th lawsuit Ellison has filed against the Trump administration.
WCCO reached out to the White House for comment but has not heard back.
