AG Ellison files lawsuit against President Trump over transgender sports ban and gender ideology executive orders

By KSTP

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump, as well as U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and the United States Department of Justice.

Initially, details on whom the lawsuit was targeting were not immediately available from the Attorney General’s office, only stating that Ellison would announce a “major lawsuit” on behalf of the state of Minnesota.

The lawsuit targets two executive orders issued by President Trump: one that banned transgender girls and women from competing on sports teams with women and girls, and the “gender ideaology order.”

The latter order declared that it is “the policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female,” which are “not changeable and are grounded in fundamental and incontrovertible reality.”

On February 20, Keith Ellison issued a formal legal opinion, arguing that complying with the sports ban order would violate Minnesota’s Human Rights Act and that the executive orders did not override Minnesota’s protections against discrimination.

Under Minnesota law, a legal opinion from the Attorney General is legally binding unless a court of law says otherwise.

The AG’s office then said that on February 25, they were issued a letter from the Department of Justice (DOJ) threatening to sue if Minnesota did not follow the executive order. Ellison said on April 8, the DOJ then threatened to withhold federal funding if Ellison did not “clarify” his opinion.

“I’m not gonna sit around waiting 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.”

In the lawsuit, Ellison laid out four causes of action against the two executive orders:

  1. The executive orders and DOJ letters are a violation of the separation of powers in the U.S. Constitution.
  2. The President and administration have no authority under Title IX to rescind federal funding for allowing transgender women and girls to participate in sports teams that align with their gender identity.
  3. The Trump Administration’s attempt to rescind Ellison’s legal opinion violates the 10th Amendment.
  4. The DOJ letters violate the Administrative Procedure Act.

“Trump’s burning desire to destroy trans kids and punish us for helping them live and thrive isn’t just a violation of the law. It’s a violation of Minnesota values,” Ellison said. “We’re not going to sell out trans kids, or any vulnerable community, just to stay in the good graces of a lawless administration.”

The lawsuit has been filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.