The White House has issued an exclusive statement addressing a Fox News Digital investigation into allegations surrounding Blaire Fleming, a transgender volleyball player for San Jose State University (SJSU), amid mounting legal and political scrutiny involving Title IX protections, third-party legal representation, and claims of misconduct.
On Tuesday, Fox News Digital reported that the Mountain West Conference retained law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher (WFG) last fall to investigate serious allegations that **Fleming conspired with an opposing player to physically harm teammate Brooke Slusser during an October 3, 2024, match. Notably, WFG was the same firm that had simultaneously represented the conference in its legal battle to preserve Fleming’s eligibility to compete in women’s volleyball.
According to public records obtained by Fox News Digital, Tim Heaphy, the WFG attorney who led the internal investigation, later contacted SJSU offering additional legal services to support the university amid a federal Title IX investigation — an inquiry launched by President Donald Trump’s administration in February 2025.
White House Issues Statement: “President Trump Will Act to Protect Female Athletes”
Responding to the revelations, White House spokesperson Liz Huston issued a statement underscoring President Trump’s ongoing efforts to curtail what he describes as “the dangerous and unfair participation of men in women’s sports.”
“President Trump is committed to ending the dangerous and unfair participation of men in women’s sports and restoring common sense,” Huston said. “President Trump will continue to speak out and take immediate action against schools that are jeopardizing the safety of female athletes.”
The administration has prioritized the issue as part of its broader Title IX agenda and campaign platform ahead of the 2024 election. President Trump previously referenced the SJSU controversy during campaign stops last season, pointing to it as evidence of federal overreach under past administrations and a breakdown of competitive fairness in collegiate athletics.
Investigations and Conflicts of Interest
The revelations have raised questions not just about athlete eligibility, but also about potential conflicts of interest involving the Mountain West Conference and WFG. While the law firm conducted the internal probe into the alleged conspiracy involving Fleming, it had also served as the legal team defending Fleming’s participation in women’s sports. Federal Judge Kato Crews, appointed by President Joe Biden, ultimately ruled in Fleming’s favor on November 25, 2024, upholding her eligibility to compete.
That ruling came just days before the plaintiffs’ failed appeal, after which WFG posted a press release online celebrating the legal victory. However, Fox News Digital reports that the press release has since been removed. The firm has not responded to inquiries regarding the deletion or its ongoing involvement with the case.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is currently conducting a Title IX investigation into San Jose State’s handling of the situation, following President Trump’s executive order related to athletics participation by transgender students.
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