I want to discuss something simple yet significant. As I watched President Trump, during a ceremony in the East Room on Wednesday, sign an executive order ending federal funding for educational programs that require biological males to compete in girls’ or women’s sports, a familiar thought came to mind.
The atmosphere in the room wasn’t one of triumph or hostility, but of gratitude and joy. If you’re still trying to grasp the depth of President Trump’s popularity among his supporters, look no further than that ceremony—broadcast across cable and network news. What continues to amaze me is how firmly the Democratic Party positioned itself on the wrong side of this issue. When I ask donors and party leaders why, they can never seem to explain how it happened.
A simple thought: In today’s politics, we consistently push too far and demand too much. Over the past two decades, this has become a defining trend—an ideological maximalism where every victory must be absolute, and no ground can be given to the other side.
Take the issue at hand. The debate isn’t about asking for what is fair and just—dignity and equal treatment for all transgender individuals. Instead, it has become a demand that society adopt a singular view of reality: that if a man identifies as a woman, everyone must affirm that belief, reshaping institutions like sports to fit this perspective.
Curiously, opposition to Trump’s executive order has been muted. And perhaps that silence speaks volumes—they know they overreached.
