President Donald Trump on 21 August warned that California’s public school districts could lose federal funding if they refuse to comply with his administration’s transgender policies. In a statement, the president said, “Any California school district that doesn’t adhere to our transgender policies will not be funded.” The White House initiative seeks to align school rules with federal guidelines that, according to the administration, are intended to safeguard women’s sports and set uniform standards for the treatment of transgender students. Trump’s threat intensifies a long-running dispute between his administration and California officials, who have promoted broader protections for transgender youth in the state’s education system. Withholding money would place billions of dollars in federal education support at risk and is expected to trigger legal challenges from California and civil-rights advocates. The administration has not yet detailed a timetable or the procedural steps it will use to enforce the directive.