Sen. Tommy Tuberville Slams Nike And Maine Governor Over Support For Males In Women's Sports

Senator Tommy Tuberville joined OutKick’s Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich on Tuesday to discuss the growing controversy surrounding an alleged Nike-funded study involving transgender-identifying youth and the broader issue of male athletes competing in girls' and women's sports.

While Nike has yet to confirm its role in the reported five-year study, the company has faced backlash for allegedly supporting research that tracks the athletic performance of male children undergoing hormone therapy and taking puberty blockers. The study is designed to test how early intervention might reduce biological advantages for trans-identifying males in female sports.

With President Donald Trump now in office, Tuberville warned Nike to tread carefully.

"They better be careful what they're doing," he said. "There’s a new sheriff in town in Washington, D.C."

RELATED: Nike Continues To Fail Women With Alleged Study On Trans-Identifying Youth | Amber Harding

The senator acknowledged and even praised Nike's past contributions to athletics and education but cautioned against corporate political involvement.

"You would think that they would be for sports and for education, as much money as Nike's made for people," Tuberville told Dakich. "They’ve done a lot of great things for athletes and for schools… but stay out of the politics. You get involved in politics, it could put a dark shadow over everything else that you do."

Nike has continued to be virtually silent about its alleged funding a trans youth athlete study. 

(Photo by Li Hongbo/VCG via Getty Images)

Tuberville also voiced concern over what he sees as a cultural shift driven by political ideology, particularly when it comes to children and gender identity.

"It all started in Hollywood," he said. "You have all these actors and actresses dressing their boys up in girls' clothes and trying to make them transgender. How about doing what’s right? How about raising your kid and teaching them values and morals?

"Since I've been here, the Democratic Party is a true attack on gender. They want one gender. They don't want any family. They want to be able to control what you do, how you do it."

Tommy Tuberville: Gender Ideology Is Hurting Girls And Women

The senator also minced no words when it came to Maine Governor Janet Mills. Mills has publicly chosen to defy Trump's executive order which seeks to block biological males from competing in girls' and women's sports.

But Maine isn't the only state ignoring federal directives, so Tuberville called for stronger enforcement measures.

"The Maine governor, who is a complete idiot, is fighting against the President of the United States," Tuberville said. "He told her, ‘You cannot use federal funds.’ [She said,] ‘Oh yeah, we’re going to do that anyway. We don’t care what you say. You're not the boss.' 

"Yeah, he's the President of the United States. Cut their funding off. Cut them at the knees. Make them hurt."

Mills has repeatedly said her state will not comply with Trump's order, despite repeated warnings from the Department of Justice that Maine could lose federal funding.

While it’s unfortunate for students who just want to compete and get an education, Tuberville noted, the White House should not back down. He said the prevalence of men in women's sports is "a disaster, and it's picking up speed."

RELATED: Defending And Protecting Women And Girls' Sports | Tommy Tuberville

"These governors need to stand up and grow some and stand up for the women of this country. But they're not going to do it," Tuberville said. "They are so woke, they're so over the top of all this. 

"All this nonsense, that, 'Oh yes, we've got to be nice to everybody.' How about being nice to women for once?"

Great question, Senator.