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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized Supreme Court Justices for seemingly challenging biological differences between males and females during Tuesday’s hearing on saving women’s sports.
The Supreme Court heard two cases regarding transgender athletes in girls and women’s sports, and justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson pressed state attorneys aiming to keep girls sports biologically female.
When asked by Riley Gaines during Thursday’s briefing whether the administration is willing to take action against states that do not comply with the Supreme Court’s potential ruling to save women’s sports, Leavitt responded, “Absolutely.”
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a news briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“The administration … [has] taken action on a number of fronts against these states who are failing to uphold the president’s executive orders and this administration’s policy of simply protecting women and women’s sports and women’s private spaces. We’ve gone to the mat with large universities in this country, as well, to try to fight for what’s right and what’s just for women in this country.
“I think the president speaks on common sense on this issue, that women’s sports and private spaces should be protected and that there are two genders, there are two sexes — that is not something we should be afraid to say in this country.”
A protester holds a sign outside the Supreme Court during arguments over state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
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Leavitt then swiped the aforementioned justices for what appeared to be at least a devil’s’ advocate play during the hearings.
“And I think, frankly, it was quite alarming to not only hear a couple of justices grapple over that basic fundamental biological fact that men and women are different but inherently equal, but we are certainly different, and women deserve such rights,” Leavitt added. “We hope and expect that the Supreme Court will rule in the right way on this matter.”
The consensus among pundits is that the Supreme Court justices and their conservative majority appear prepared to allow Idaho, West Virginia and other states across the U.S. to uphold their laws to keep biological males out of women’s and girls sports.
Protesters gather outside the Supreme Court as it hears arguments over state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, in Washington. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)
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President Donald Trump issued an executive order to save women’s sports in February. According to the Supreme Court, 30 states have restrictions on transgender athletes participating against girls and women.
A decision is expected this summer.
Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.
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