Trump administration investigating Oregon education department over transgender athlete policy

Following a complaint from a conservative non-profit group that claimed the state was breaking civil rights law by permitting transgender females to play on girls’ sports teams, the Trump administration said on Friday that it is looking into the Oregon Department of Education.

This is the most recent step in the Republican administration’s campaign to ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports across the country. In February, President Donald Trump issued an executive order prohibiting transgender girls from playing on teams that reflect their gender identity.

According to the administration, transgender athlete policies are in violation of Title IX, a federal legislation from 1972 that forbids sex-based discrimination in education. Opponents claim that Trump’s ban is an assault on transgender youngsters, while supporters claim it restores fairness in athletic events.

The America First Policy Institute filed a complaint alleging that high school-aged female athletes had been denied medals and competition opportunities to transgender athletes, which prompted the U.S. Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights to launch the Oregon investigation. It comes after an investigation into suspected Title IX breaches by Portland Public Schools and the state’s high school sports governing body earlier this year, which allowed transgender students to participate in girls’ sports.

The administration filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Education earlier this month, claiming that the policy violates federal law by permitting transgender girls to play on girls’ sports teams. In April, Trump also filed a lawsuit, claiming that Maine had violated Title IX by permitting women and transgender athletes to compete against other female competitors.

In a statement released on Friday, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor stated that the administration will not permit educational institutions to continue violating women’s rights while receiving federal funding.

According to Trainor, if Oregon allows men to participate in women’s sports, it is enabling these guys to take advantage of the recognition and opportunities that female athletes have won through perseverance and hard work, while ruthlessly ignoring the safety, dignity, and privacy of women and girls.

According to an Oregon Department of Education representative, the agency does not comment on ongoing investigations. According to an Oregon School Activities Association spokeswoman, the organization has no more comments at this time.

According to Oregon law, trans students cannot be disqualified based solely on their gender identification and are permitted to participate in sex-segregated sports teams that correspond to their regularly declared gender identity.

Over the past two years, the state has been at the center of the national conversation surrounding transgender athletes. When Ada Gallagher of McDaniel’s won the Class 6A 200-meter dash in 2024, she became the first transgender student-athlete to win an OSAA individual state championship. Gallagher’s 2025 spring season ended early due to injury, but a Wells transgender girl tied for fifth place in the Class 6A females high jump. At the medal ceremony, two of her rivals demonstrated.

To preserve the Wells athlete’s privacy, The Oregonian/OregonLive is not naming her.

In early July, three high school track and field athletes filed a lawsuit against Oregon, claiming that it violates Title IX. They want to stop transgender girls from competing in girls’ sports and set all sports records.

According to the complaint submitted to the U.S. District Court in Oregon, the athletes were damaged by the state rules since they were unable to compete, proceed to more competitive events, or win titles or get scholarships. At least one track-and-field competition this spring at a Portland high school featured a trans athlete who set season records and won two races, according to the lawsuit.

More than two dozen states have passed legislation prohibiting transgender women and girls from competing in specific sports. Courts have banned some policies. A dispute concerning state restrictions on which sports teams transgender athletes can join has been approved to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

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