Ex-Vikings player Jack Brewer says 'demonic' trans policy is holding his family 'hostage' in Minnesota

The state of Minnesota did not comply with Donald Trump's Friday deadline to ban trans athletes from girls' scholastic sports – a decision prominent conservative and ex-Vikings safety Jack Brewer blames on 'demonic laws' and 'leftist, satanic ideals.'

'I still have plenty of family in Minnesota — nieces, nephews, cousins — and family members who coach high school sports there,' Brewer told Fox News. 'My family is being held hostage to these dark and demonic laws. I feel for my little nieces who have dreams of being athletes, for my young cousins playing high school sports, and for my former teammates who are now coaches and athletic directors across the state.

'These are my people — that's why I speak out. I say things they can't. It's a sad reality that they're being forced to raise their children around this sickness.'

Trump famously issued an executive order in February, granting the federal government the power to withhold funding from entities that 'deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities' by allowing for transgender participation in girls sports.

Speaking to Fox, Brewer applauded Trump's executive order and called on Congress to withhold all funding from uncooperative states when the legislature reconvenes on Friday.

'President Trump is absolutely right to demand that men stay out of women's sports,' Brewer said. 'When Congress is back in session, he should cut all federal funding to states that continue this insanity. Minnesota has become the laughingstock of America — the embarrassment of our nation.'

Minnesota found itself on the front lines of the issue when a transgender softball pitcher led her team to a state title earlier this year.

Last month, the Trump administration condemned Minnesota for refusing to adhere to the President's executive order. The civil rights offices at the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services accused the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League of violating Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to compete with girls and use girls locker rooms.

The agencies claimed transgender athletes are competing in Minnesota girls sports, such as: Alpine and Nordic skiing, lacrosse, track and field, volleyball and fastpitch softball.

'The Trump Administration will not allow Minnesota or any other state to sacrifice the safety, fair treatment, and dignity of its female students to appease the false idols of radical gender ideology,' Craig Trainor, the federal Education Department's acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a September statement.

With Fox, Brewer echoed Trump's criticism of Minnesota leaders, such as Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison.

'You have hundreds of school board members who have stood against this, yet a governor and an attorney general with that much control are forcing their leftist, satanic ideals on people who want nothing to do with it,' Brewer said. 'The world is watching as Minnesota has become the epicenter of this darkness — the devil's den. Something needs to change, and the people of Minnesota need to wake up.'

'The Bible talks about this,' he continued. 'Jesus said it's better to have a millstone tied around your neck and be cast into the sea than to harm one of his little ones. Our nation was founded as a Christian nation — not one that appeases or promotes sexual immorality. We are destroying the souls of our children.'

Minnesota lawmakers and officials have not been swayed by religious arguments from Trump supporters, often citing the First Amendment's Establishment Clause forbidding government from establishing a state religion.

Ellison has further defended his position by arguing against the discrimination of transgender student athletes.

'Letting the very small number of transgender students in Minnesota play on their school sports teams doesn't harm anyone, but segregating them does,' read a recent statement from Ellison.

Ellison also accused the Trump administration of overstepping its legal authority.

'I too am concerned about the Trump Administration's threats to cut education funding for kids across Minnesota, but this matter is before the court right now,' the statement read. 'The federal government's threats violate the U.S. Constitution, Minnesota law, and Title IX itself. I'm fighting to prevent these harmful cuts, stop the Administration's bullying of transgender kids who just want to live their lives in peace, and protect the rights and freedoms of all our students in Minnesota.'

After starring at the University of Minnesota, Brewer played five NFL seasons and briefly served as the Vikings' special teams captain before embarking on a career in finance and, later, politics. But whereas he once supported Democratic President Barack Obama, Brewer is now a staunch conservative, who actually spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention.

He is also credited with helping Lil Wayne and Kodak Black get pardons from Trump after his election defeat to Joe Biden in 2020.