It was late February 2025. The State Dining Room in the White House was packed with governors, but all eyes were on two people. President Donald Trump, freshly back in office, looked across the room and called out a woman he’s been sparring with for years.
"Is Maine here? The Governor of Maine?"
Janet Mills didn’t flinch. "I'm here," she said.
What followed was a verbal brawl that basically set the tone for the next two years of New England politics. Trump wanted Maine to fall in line with a federal ban on transgender athletes in school sports. He threatened to yank federal funding. Mills, a former prosecutor who doesn't scare easily, hit back with four words that became a rallying cry for her supporters: "See you in court."
The Feud That Defined a State
If you've been following the governor of Maine and Trump, you know this isn't just about sports. It's about who actually runs the show—the state or the feds.
Honestly, the tension started long before that White House meeting. Back in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, Trump visited a swab manufacturer in Guilford, Maine. Mills basically told him to stay home, worried his presence would cause "security problems." Trump, being Trump, showed up anyway and called her a "dictator" while standing in a hangar in Bangor.
She responded by saying she'd spent her career "listening to loud men talk tough to disguise their weakness."
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Ouch.
But 2025 and 2026 have taken things to a whole new level. We’re talking about a systematic effort by the Trump administration to squeeze Maine on everything from Medicaid funding to voter data. It's gotten personal. Acting Social Security Commissioner Leland Dudeck even admitted he singled out Maine for certain data requests because he was "ticked" that Mills wasn't "real cordial" to the president.
The Battle Over the Budget
It’s easy to get lost in the "he-said, she-said," but the real impact is in the numbers. In July 2025, the GOP-led Congress passed a massive domestic policy bill. Mills warned it would blow a $3.4 billion hole in Maine’s budget over the next decade.
Why? Because the bill slashes Medicaid and food assistance. MaineCare, the state's Medicaid program, is a lifeline for thousands of seniors and kids in rural areas.
The Trump administration even tried to freeze money for a state child nutrition program. Think about that for a second. They were willing to hold up lunch money for school kids to win a legal fight over transgender policies. Eventually, the administration backpedaled on that specific move, but the message was sent: comply or pay.
Why Janet Mills is Running for Senate
Fast forward to right now, January 2026. Janet Mills is in the final year of her second term as governor. She can't run for governor again. So, what’s a "fighter" to do?
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She’s going for Susan Collins' seat.
In her campaign launch, Mills leaned hard into her history with Trump. She’s positioning herself as the ultimate "Trump resister." She argues that Maine needs someone in D.C. who will stand up to the White House rather than "triangulate" like Collins often does.
But it’s a gamble. Mills is 78. If she wins, she’ll be 79 when she takes office. In a state that’s feeling the pinch of inflation and high energy costs, some voters are wondering if a fresh face is better than a career politician who’s spent the last two years in a legal cage match with the president.
The Voter Data "Fishing Expedition"
Just a few months ago, in September 2025, the Department of Justice sued Maine. They wanted the state’s entire voter registration file. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows called it a "fishing expedition."
Mills backed her up, calling it "government by intimidation."
The DOJ says they just want to "ensure election integrity." But for Mills, it’s another example of the federal government overstepping. This legal battle is still grinding through the courts, and it's likely to be a major talking point in the 2026 midterms.
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What Most People Get Wrong
People often think this is just a Democrat vs. Republican thing. It’s more complicated. Maine has a weird political DNA. We have a lot of independent voters who hate being told what to do by Washington.
- Misconception 1: Mills is just doing this for "woke" points.
- Reality: She leans heavily on the Maine Human Rights Act. For her, it’s a legal obligation, not just a social one.
- Misconception 2: Trump is only picking on Maine because it’s blue.
- Reality: Trump actually won Maine’s 2nd Congressional District twice. He knows he has a base here. By targeting Mills, he’s speaking directly to his supporters in the more conservative parts of the state.
Where We Go From Here
The relationship between the governor of Maine and Trump has shifted the state’s political gravity. As we head toward the November 2026 elections, the stakes couldn't be higher. We aren't just voting for a new governor and a senator; we’re essentially voting on whether we want Maine to keep fighting the White House or find a way to cooperate.
If you’re a Mainer—or just someone watching from the outside—here is what you should actually be looking at:
- Watch the Court Filings: The lawsuits over Title IX and federal funding are where the real power lies. If the courts side with Trump, Maine could lose hundreds of millions in school funding.
- Track the Budget: Keep an eye on the "contingency fund" Maine legislators are trying to build. They’re basically trying to create a "Trump-proof" piggy bank to keep food stamps and healthcare running if federal funds get cut off.
- Look at the 2026 Primary: The race to succeed Mills is wide open. How the Democratic candidates talk about Trump will tell you a lot about the party's future direction in the state.
If you want to stay informed, the best thing to do is read the actual statements from the Governor’s office and compare them to the federal directives. Don't just rely on the 30-second clips on the evening news. The nuances of the Maine Human Rights Act vs. Federal Title IX interpretations are where this war will be won or lost.
Check your voter registration status now, because the DOJ lawsuit might make things messy at the polls this November. It's better to be ahead of the curve.