First lady Melania Trump issued a rare public statement voicing support for the LGBTQIA+ community while backing a major Supreme Court decision allowing states to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s school sports.
Melania Trump’s statement
In a post shared on X following the high court’s ruling, Melania referenced her own memoir to reiterate her position on balancing LGBTQIA+ rights with protections for female athletes.
She began by quoting her book, writing that she “fully supports the LGBTQIA+ community.” She then emphasized that society “must also ensure that our female athletes are protected and respected.”
Referencing the recent Supreme Court ruling, she added, “The U.S. Supreme Court has now legally confirmed this opinion.” She also cited the Court’s majority finding that state bans on transgender athletes do not violate Title IX or the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
The first lady concluded her statement by saying, “America, we can support the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and also protect opportunities for female athletes.”
“Respect everyone and keep girls’ sports fair. Both ideals are essential,” she added.
“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
Donald Trump celebrates the ruling
Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump celebrated the ruling on Truth Social, writing, “BIG WIN: The United States Supreme Court just RULED AGAINST MEN PLAYING IN WOMEN’S SPORTS. Wow! That takes that ridiculous situation off the table!!!”
The decision marked a major victory for conservative policies championed during the president’s 2024 reelection campaign, particularly efforts focused on restricting transgender participation in women’s athletics.
The Supreme Court ruling overturned lower court decisions in Idaho and West Virginia that had sided with transgender students challenging state bans.
The Supreme Court’s reasoning
Writing for the majority, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said Title IX supports “separate sports teams for biological males and biological females.”
“Given the inherent physical differences between the sexes, allowing only biological females to play on women’s and girls’ teams can reduce the risk of physical injury and ensure fair competition,” he wrote.
Justice Clarence Thomas concurred, writing, “Men and boys with gender dysphoria are not women or girls, even if they believe that they are.”
In dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor argued the Court acted prematurely, writing, “In an opinion unencumbered by fact or law, the majority cuts off that process prematurely.”
She was supported by fellow female justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson in the dissent.