Quick Facts About Janet Mills: What To Know About The Governor Of Maine Who Stood Up To Trump

Janet Trafton Mills has served as the 75th Governor of Maine since January 2, 2019. She made history as Maine's first female governor, securing re-election with the highest number of votes in state history and becoming the first governor since 1970 to win a majority vote in both terms. Throughout her tenure, she has focused on economic growth, healthcare expansion, education, and social justice issues.

Leading Maine Through Crisis and Growth

As Governor, Mills led Maine through the COVID-19 pandemic, achieving one of the highest vaccination rates and lowest death rates in the country. Her policies protected lives and bolstered Maine's economy, which has since experienced the strongest GDP growth in New England. According to NPR, Maine's economy has outperformed larger states like California and New York in recent years, achieving more growth in the past four years than in the previous fifteen combined.

Under her leadership, Maine has expanded healthcare access to over 100,000 residents, fully funded public schools for the first time in history, raised minimum teacher salaries, and introduced free community college. Her administration also increased the Rainy Day Fund to more than £712 million ($900 million) and provided significant tax relief to retirees and working families.

Commitment to Workforce and Infrastructure

Through the Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan, Mills has prioritised addressing the state's workforce shortages by investing in education, job training, childcare, housing, healthcare, and broadband expansion. These investments have played a crucial role in strengthening Maine's job market and economic stability.

A Lifelong Mainer with a Passion for Public Service

Born in Farmington, Maine, Mills comes from a family of Aroostook County potato farmers and was raised with strong values of hard work and public service. Her father served as a U.S. Attorney for Maine, while her mother was a high school English teacher. She worked multiple jobs as a teenager, including delivering newspapers and waiting tables. She later attended the University of Massachusetts at Boston and earned her law degree from the University of Maine School of Law.

In 1985, Mills married Stan Kuklinski, a widower with five young daughters, whom she helped raise while managing her own full-time legal career. Following Stan's passing in 2014, Mills remained dedicated to her family and now enjoys spending time with her grandchildren.

Breaking Barriers in Law and Politics

Mills began her public service as an Assistant Attorney General, later making history as the first woman elected District Attorney in New England. During her tenure, she prosecuted major crimes, including homicides, and co-founded the Maine Women's Lobby to advocate for victims of domestic abuse. In 2002, she was elected to the Maine House of Representatives, and in 2008, she became Maine's first female Attorney General, serving until 2011 and again from 2013 to 2019.

As Attorney General, she fought fraudulent mortgage lenders, held pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the opioid crisis, and secured funding for overdose-reversal kits that have since saved over 1,000 lives. She also worked to protect healthcare coverage for young adults and low-income families.

A Governor Focused on Healthcare, Education, and Economic Growth

Mills has remained a staunch advocate for affordable healthcare, quality education, and economic opportunity for all Mainers. She has fought to ensure that every child has access to a world-class education, that families can thrive in the state, and that workers have access to fair wages and benefits.

She is widely recognised as a pragmatic problem-solver who prioritises bipartisanship. Her leadership style has been defined by working across party lines to advance policies that benefit the people of Maine, according to NGA.

Clashing with Trump Over Transgender Rights

In February 2025, Mills made national headlines when she clashed with President Donald Trump over transgender athletes' rights. According to NPR, Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in women's sports, threatening to withdraw federal funding from states that refused to comply.

At a White House event, Trump challenged Mills on whether Maine would follow the order, to which she responded: 'See you in court.' Trump, dismissing the challenge, replied, 'Good, I look forward to that. And enjoy your life after governor, because I don't think you'll be in elected politics.'

Following the exchange, Mills released a statement asserting that Maine would not be intimidated by federal threats and that she and the Attorney General would take all necessary legal action to protect the state's policies on gender inclusion in sports.

A Legacy of Leadership and Advocacy

Throughout her career, Mills has consistently advocated for equal rights, public health, and economic stability. Her leadership has ensured that Maine remains at the forefront of progressive policies, particularly in education, healthcare, and economic development.

Whether standing up to political opposition, expanding healthcare access, or driving economic growth, Mills has proven to be a determined and influential leader. As she continues her tenure as Governor of Maine, she remains committed to advancing the interests of all Mainers and shaping the state's future for generations to come.