Melania Trump has clearly articulated her stance on transgender athletes, echoing the views of her husband, Donald Trump, which many interpret as a decisive statement on the matter. In her memoir, titled “Melania,” published in October 2024, she provided a succinct six-word critique: “Deepening the divisions in our society.”
The 180-page book was released during the 2024 election campaign, a period when Trump was outspoken about his intention to prohibit transgender women from participating in female sports leagues. As part of his campaign promises, he committed to eliminating what he termed “transgender insanity” from educational institutions and ensuring that only biological females would be allowed to compete in women’s sports.
Five months later, Trump has assumed office as the 47th President of the United States and has swiftly acted to implement this promise. In February 2025, he enacted an executive order that bars transgender women from competing in female sports events. However, this initiative encountered significant challenges in the Senate, where it failed to progress after a test vote did not meet the required 60-vote threshold. Democratic lawmakers expressed strong opposition to the bill, temporarily halting its advancement.
Despite this obstacle, Trump has pledged to continue pursuing his agenda, reaffirming his dedication to “keeping men out of women’s sports.”
Melania Trump’s Perspective on the Issue
Although her memoir does not explicitly address Trump’s policy, Melania Trump’s remarks imply her support for regulating transgender participation in sports. In discussing the issue, she stated, “Today, some groups attempt to impose their ideologies on everyone, deepening the divisions in our society. One example is the ongoing debate over trans inclusion in sports, specifically when male-born athletes who identify as female compete against women.”
She further articulated her apprehensions, contending that biological differences can influence fairness in competition. Even at the high school level, she indicated that the presence of a single transgender athlete could disrupt the competitive equilibrium.
High school athletes frequently invest numerous years in training with the aspiration of being recruited by universities. Witnessing that aspiration diminish is an unnecessary and preventable outcome, she remarked. Nevertheless, she emphasized that her viewpoint on this matter does not imply any opposition to LGBT+ rights.
In a recent address to Congress, Trump intensified his position by threatening to withdraw funding from schools that fail to adhere to his directive prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports. He asserted his conviction that there are “only two genders” and that athletic competitions should be strictly categorized based on biological sex at birth, unless a co-ed exemption is applicable.
The executive order titled ‘No Men in Women’s Sports,’ which he signed last month, represents one of several initiatives his administration has implemented to limit transgender rights since he returned to office in January 2025. This action marks the fourth executive measure aimed at transgender policies, illustrating his administration’s broader agenda to reverse gender inclusion policies established by prior administrations.
Trump’s recent policies, along with Melania’s remarks, underscore the ongoing discourse regarding transgender inclusion in sports, a topic that remains deeply divisive in the United States. While Trump and many Republicans contend that their policies safeguard fairness in women’s sports, Democrats and LGBTQ+ advocates argue that such measures discriminate against transgender individuals and deny them equal opportunities.
