“America, we can support the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and also protect opportunities for female athletes," the first lady said
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NEED TO KNOW
- Melania Trump weighed in on the Supreme Court’s decision to ban trans girls from women’s sports
- “I fully support the LGBTQIA+ community,” the first lady said in a statement shared via X on Tuesday, June 30
- President Donald Trump also shared his thoughts on social media, applauding the end of the “ridiculous situation”
Melania Trump says the LGBTQIA+ community has her "support" amid the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to ban trans athletes from women's sports.
“As many of you may know, I fully support the LGBTQIA+ community," the first lady, 56, tweeted Tuesday, June 30, adding, "But we must also ensure that our female athletes are protected and respected."
Credit: Kevin Dietsch/Getty
“The U.S. Supreme Court has now legally confirmed this opinion: ‘Under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, may schools maintain women’s and girls’ sports for biological females? … The answer is yes,’ ” she wrote of the ruling, adding a link to the decision.
Melania added that while the nation "can support the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community," it should "also protect opportunities for female athletes."
"Respect everyone and keep girls' sports fair," she wrote. “Both ideals are essential."
The 6-3 ruling on West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox was penned by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who President Donald Trump appointed.
The president, 80, also responded to the ruling, calling it a "BIG WIN" on Truth Social.
"The United States Supreme Court just RULED AGAINST MEN PLAYING IN WOMEN’S SPORTS," he continued. "Wow! That takes that ridiculous situation off the table!!! President DONALD J. TRUMP."
Melania and the president have not always agreed on how he handles topics concerning the LGBTQIA+ community.
While addressing Republicans at the Kennedy Center on Jan. 6, he began his impression of a trans athlete lifting weights, but prefaced it by disclosing that the first lady strongly dislikes the move because she thinks it's "terrible" and unprofessional.
"By the way, my wife hates when I do this. She said — you know, she's a very classy person — she said, 'It's so unpresidential.' I said, 'But I did become president,’ ” he said, telling the crowd that she also hates when he dances at events.
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He did a similar impression in May 2025, while discussing trans athletes in collegiate sports during his address to the graduating class of the University of Alabama.
"You see the weightlifting? Where they had a record that wasn't broken in 18 years. And they have — should I imitate it? You know, my wife gets very upset when I do this," the president said during his speech streamed by the White House. "She says, 'Darling, it's not presidential.' I say, 'Yeah, but people like it.' Should I do it or not?"
As some in the audience cheered, the president said, "Alright, I'm in trouble when I get home. But that's OK, what the hell. I've been in lots of trouble before."
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