Seth Moulton (cropped, Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Tufts University walked back a threat from its political science chairman to stop sending interns to Rep. Seth Moulton's office after the Massachusetts Democrat said he doesn't want his daughters "getting run over" by transgender athletes.

Last week, Moulton told the New York Times that he has "two little girls" and doesn't "want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat, I'm supposed to be afraid to say that." In response, Tufts political science department chairman David Art called Moulton's office to say he "won't facilitate internship opportunities for students" with the congressman, according to a summary of the call reported Tuesday by the Boston Globe. Art was evasive in an interview with the Globe but eventually confirmed the call, saying, "I definitely said other things in addition to that."

After Art's move prompted intense backlash, a Tufts spokesman issued a statement walking back the threat.

"We have reached out to Congressman Moulton's office to clarify that we have not—and will not—limit internship opportunities with his office," the spokesman told the Washington Free Beacon on Tuesday. "We remain committed to fostering an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives, and our Career Center will continue to provide students with a wide range of employment opportunities across the political and ideological spectrum."

Though Moulton's comments enraged Art, Americans largely agree with the congressman: Nearly 70 percent believe transgender athletes should only be allowed to compete on teams that align with their birth gender, according to a June 2023 Gallup poll.

Still, Art's reaction underscored Moulton's point. The congressman told the Times that Democrats "spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone," likely referencing effective ads from President-elect Donald Trump that highlighted Democrats' support for biological men who wish to compete in women's sports.

Fellow Massachusetts Democrats responded by condemning Moulton.

Massachusetts Democratic Party chairman Steve Kerrigan told the Globe that Moulton's comments "do not represent the broad view of our party." State representative Manny Cruz accused Moulton of betrayal. Salem city councilor Kyle Davis called on him to resign. But Moulton didn't budge, saying, "The backlash I've received proves my point that we can't even have these discussions as a party."

"I was just speaking authentically as a dad about one of many issues where I think we're just out of touch with the majority of voters, and I stand by my position," he said during a Sunday MSNBC appearance. "And we've got to be able to have these debates. But, instead, we have a wing of our party that shames us, that tries to cancel people who try to even bring up these difficult topics and, frankly, shames voters."

Neither Art nor Moulton responded to requests for comment.

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