A transgender teenage athlete has sparked a political firestorm that’s reached the White House, with President Trump threatening to withdraw more than $170 BILLION in federal funding from California over 16-year-old AB Hernandez’s participation in girls’ track and field.
The Jurupa Valley High School junior dominated Friday’s preliminary rounds at the California state championships, qualifying first in ALL THREE of her events – long jump, high jump, and triple jump – setting up what promises to be an explosive finals showdown on Saturday.
As Hernandez competed in Clovis, California, protesters gathered outside the stadium holding “Save Girls Sports” signs while an airplane circled overhead for more than an hour, trailing a banner that read “NO BOYS IN GIRLS’ SPORTS!”
Trump’s Explosive Threat
The President took to Truth Social on Tuesday with a blistering attack, declaring: “THIS IS NOT FAIR, AND TOTALLY DEMEANING TO WOMEN AND GIRLS.”
Trump threatened that “large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently” if California continues to allow transgender athletes to compete in female sports – a move that could devastate the Golden State’s budget, which relies on federal funds for more than one-third of its spending.
I am ordering local authorities, if necessary, to not allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals,” Trump wrote, though legal experts note the President has no authority to issue such orders to state officials.
The President said he planned to speak with California Governor Gavin Newsom to “find out which way he wants to go” on the controversial issue.
The Athletic Phenom at the Center
Hernandez has emerged as one of California’s top track and field athletes, holding the state’s best marks in both long jump (20-1.5) and triple jump (41-4). At the Southern Section finals on May 17, she won the triple jump by an astonishing FOUR FEET over second-place finisher Reese Hogan of Crean Lutheran High School.
Her long jump victory was equally dominant, with a mark of 19 feet, 2.75 inches – beating La Canada senior Katie McGuinness by more than five inches.
“I’ve trained so hard. I mean, hours of conditioning every day, five days a week. Every day since November, three hours after school. And then all of summer, no summer break for me,” Hernandez told Capital & Main in a recent interview.
Adults Behaving Badly
The teenager has faced relentless harassment from adult protesters at her meets. At one qualifying event, approximately 30 adults – including three local school board members – spent hours heckling the 16-year-old from the sidelines. Their shouting was so disruptive it caused a false start in one race.
When confronted about the adult behavior, Hernandez displayed remarkable maturity: “I’m still a child, you’re an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person.”
Sonja Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District and a candidate for California superintendent of schools, has been particularly vocal in her opposition. She was caught on camera telling Hernandez’s mother, Nereyda: “What a coward of a woman you are, allowing that!
Shaw admitted to deliberately “doxxing” the teenager – revealing her name, school, and transgender status – in February, and was filmed tearing up a cease-and-desist letter from the Hernandez family during a school board meeting.
California’s Emergency Rule Change
In a dramatic twist, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announced Tuesday it would change the rules for this weekend’s championships – but insisted the decision had been “in the works for weeks” before Trump’s threats.
The new “pilot entry process” allows additional cisgender female athletes who would have qualified if not for Hernandez’s participation to compete at the state finals. The federation will also score transgender athletes separately while maintaining their official results and medal standings.
Political Earthquake
The controversy has created an awkward situation for Governor Newsom, who’s widely seen as a 2028 Democratic presidential contender. In March, he surprised many by agreeing with conservative commentator Charlie Kirk that allowing transgender girls in female sports was “deeply unfair.
“I think it’s an issue of fairness,” Newsom said on Kirk’s podcast. “I completely agree with you on that.”
Since then, the governor has remained notably quiet on the issue, with his office declining multiple requests for comment about the Hernandez situation.
Federal Investigation Launched
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday it’s investigating whether California’s School Success and Opportunity Act – which prohibits schools from blocking transgender students from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity – violates federal Title IX law.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said he’s launched a probe into whether the CIF is violating federal sex discrimination laws by allowing Hernandez to compete.
Mother’s Heartbreak
Nereyda Hernandez, AB’s mother, released an emotional statement defending her child:
As a mother, my heart breaks every time I see my child being attacked, not for a wrongdoing, but simply for being who they are. My child has competed fairly, in full compliance with California law and athletic policy.”
She added: “Her identity doesn’t give her an advantage; it gives her courage. It takes immense bravery to show up, compete, and be visible in a world that often questions your very right to exist, let alone to participate.”
By the Numbers
$170 BILLION – Federal funds in California’s 2025-2026 budget at risk
41 feet, 4 inches – Hernandez’s state-leading triple jump mark
FOUR FEET – Margin of victory in triple jump at sectional finals
30 – Number of adult protesters who heckled the teenager at one meet
3 – Events Hernandez qualified for at state championships
10 – Estimated number of transgender student-athletes among California’s 5.8 million public school students
The Finals Showdown
As California braces for Saturday’s finals, security has been heightened at the venue. Law enforcement and media presence was described as being “out in droves” for Friday’s preliminaries.
Despite the circus atmosphere, Hernandez has tried to maintain focus on her athletic goals. I leave the controversy out at the meet,” she said. “I just relax and do what I can do.”
The teenager, who lists USC track star Alyssa Hope as one of her inspirations, dreams of competing at the collegiate level. Her recent performances – including that dominant 41-4 triple jump – have likely caught the attention of college recruiters.
What Happens Next?
Saturday’s finals promise to be unlike any high school track meet in California history. With Trump’s funding threats hanging over the state, federal investigators circling, and protesters planning demonstrations, all eyes will be on a 16-year-old who just wants to compete.
The California Family Council, which has led protests against Hernandez, called the CIF’s rule changes “damage control” but vowed to continue their campaign. Boys don’t belong in girls sports,” said outreach director Sophia Lorey.
Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have accused the Trump administration of “bullying a child” and called on the CIF to maintain its inclusive policies.
As one thing becomes clear – this controversy isn’t going away anytime soon. And caught in the middle is a teenager who, in her own words, is “just a child” trying to pursue her athletic dreams while adults wage a political war around her.
The state championships conclude Saturday at Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Clovis, California.
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[…] AB Hernandez, a junior at Jurupa Valley High School, took first place in both the high jump and triple jump on Saturday evening, while finishing second in the long jump, after dominating the girls’ competition at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Clovis, California. […]
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