Former Vikings Star Jack Brewer Slams Minnesota AG Over Transgender Athlete Lawsuit Against Trump: “It’s Embarrassing”
By Jackson Thompson, Fox News | May 23, 2025
The debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports has reached a new flashpoint in Minnesota as former NFL safety and University of Minnesota football standout Jack Brewer strongly criticized the state’s top law enforcement official, Attorney General Keith Ellison, for his decision to file a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration. The case centers on the state’s continued defiance of an executive order banning biological males from competing in female athletics.
Brewer, who played for the Minnesota Vikings after a standout college career, didn’t mince words when speaking to Fox News Digital.
“Clearly, Keith Ellison, the attorney general of Minnesota, has never played any major sports,” Brewer said. “It’s like he’s never stepped foot in a real locker room, especially not one where the sport demanded true athleticism, grit, and toughness. It’s embarrassing to watch a Black man stand before the nation and promote boys competing against girls.”
The controversy erupted after Ellison filed suit in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, accusing the Trump administration of overreach in enforcing its recently issued “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports” executive order. The order, which sparked widespread debate, directs federal agencies to withhold funding from schools and states that allow transgender athletes assigned male at birth to compete in girls’ and women’s sports divisions.
Ellison’s lawsuit marks the first direct legal challenge to the executive order by a state attorney general. At the heart of the case is the Minnesota State High School League’s continued allowance of transgender athletes to participate in alignment with their gender identity, a policy the Trump administration now deems illegal under federal law.
“I’m not going to sit around waiting for the Trump administration to sue Minnesota,” Ellison said in a press conference. “Today, Minnesota is suing him and his administration because we will not participate in this shameful bullying. We will not let a small group of vulnerable children who are only trying to be healthy and live their lives be demonized.”
But Brewer sees it differently. For the former Viking, this is not a question of compassion, but of competition, fairness, and safety.
“The state has veered so far off course that it’s doing the exact opposite of what it once stood for,” Brewer said. “It used to be a national leader on Title IX and women’s rights. Now, it’s destroying women’s sports, degrading women, and promoting situations where men are physically dominating women.”
The issue has become especially pressing in Minnesota, following the rise of a transgender athlete—reportedly a biological male—who has excelled in high school girls’ softball, leading a team to 14 consecutive victories and earning first-team All-State honors. Brewer, who has raised his own children in Minnesota, said the situation is troubling for families and coaches alike.
“In any sport — especially something like softball — people can get seriously hurt. A man hits the ball harder. A man throws the ball faster,” Brewer warned. “So, the idea of allowing men to compete in women’s softball — especially now, when that sport has grown in visibility and opportunity — is insane.”
Women’s sports advocates and conservative policymakers have long argued that the inclusion of biological males, even those who identify as female, can create unfair and even unsafe playing conditions in competition. The Trump administration has leaned heavily into this argument, making it a core pillar of its broader education policy.
White House spokesperson Harrison Fields also weighed in on Ellison’s lawsuit, calling it “creepy and anti-woman.”
“Why would a grown man sue the Trump administration to allow other biological males to participate in women’s sports?” Fields asked. “This is creepy and anti-woman.”
Brewer echoed that sentiment, suggesting that Ellison and others supporting transgender participation in girls’ sports are “either ignorant or pushing politics over people.”
“And that’s exactly what Keith Ellison is doing,” Brewer said. “They don’t care about the girls. They care about fundraising and staying in power, and they’re doing it at the expense of young athletes all across America.”
The Minnesota State High School League has stated that banning trans athletes based on gender assigned at birth would violate the state’s Human Rights Act (MHRA), which mandates inclusion based on gender identity. This legal interpretation remains in direct conflict with the Trump administration’s view, setting up a broader legal and constitutional clash between state rights and federal mandates.
While Minnesota is the first state to challenge the executive order head-on in court, it is the second to confront the administration over related funding penalties. In April, Maine filed a lawsuit after the Department of Agriculture cut funding to the state over similar policies. A federal judge subsequently ruled that the USDA must restore the funding, signaling a potential legal opening for other states resisting the executive order.
Still, Minnesota’s legislature recently failed to pass the Preserving Girls’ Sports Act, which would have clarified that only biological females are eligible to compete in school sports designated for girls. Without clear legislative backing, the legal battle now falls squarely in the hands of the courts.
A recent New York Times/Ipsos poll suggests public sentiment may not be on Ellison’s side. According to the survey of more than 2,000 Americans, 79% said biological males who identify as women should not be allowed to participate in women’s sports. Among Democrats and those leaning Democratic, 67% shared that belief.
Brewer sees those numbers as evidence of a silent majority being ignored.
“This is not a fringe opinion,” he said. “Most people — parents, athletes, even liberals — understand that this is about fairness and biology, not hate or discrimination.”
He added that President Trump’s stance resonates with many former and current athletes who see competitive equity as essential to the integrity of sports.
“President Trump understands exactly what’s happening. He said it best: if you put a bunch of MLB players on a women’s softball team, they’d win the championship,” Brewer said.
The debate is far from settled, and the legal battle between Minnesota and the Trump administration could have ripple effects across the country. States, schools, and sports organizations are watching closely as the courts weigh in on one of the most polarizing issues in the modern culture war.
Meanwhile, athletes like Brewer remain vocal in their opposition.
“It’s heartbreaking for any former Gopher, any former Viking, any professional athlete who’s lived in that great city,” Brewer said. “It’s embarrassing. It’s shocking. And, to be honest, it’s just devastating.”
Whether the courts will agree remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the battle over transgender participation in girls’ sports is not just a legal one—it’s also a cultural, moral, and political war being fought in locker rooms, legislatures, and now, courtrooms
