Trump vs. Maine: USDA cuts funding to universities over trans athletes

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has made the decision to pause funding to the University of Maine System (UMS), a network of eight public colleges in the state. This action comes in response to Maine’s recent refusal to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order to keep transgender athletes out of women’s sports.

The pause in funding is a result of the USDA’s review of potential Title IX and Title VI violations by the universities, following the state’s defiance of Trump’s executive order. During his address to a joint session of Congress on March 4, Trump reiterated his stance on punishing states that allow transgender athletes to compete with girls.

In response to the funding pause, a UMS spokesperson confirmed that the system has been notified of the decision. An email from the USDA’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer directed the department’s agencies to temporarily halt payments to UMS while evaluating potential violations of Title VI and Title IX.

UMS has maintained that the universities are in compliance with relevant state and federal laws, as well as being members of the NCAA. The system has expressed willingness to provide further clarity on the situation after conducting a thorough analysis.

In the fiscal year 2024 alone, the USDA awarded $29.78 million in funding to UMS for research. Over the years, the USDA has provided more than $100 million to the UMS, as stated in a letter addressed to the system.

The NCAA has also taken a stand on gender eligibility, amending its policy to prevent athletes born biologically male from competing in women’s sports.

The conflict between Maine and the Trump administration escalated when Governor Janet Mills’ office threatened legal action if federal funding was withheld from the state. Following a heated exchange between Trump and Mills at the White House, the U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into Maine’s policies on transgender athletes and possible Title IX violations.

The situation was sparked by Republican Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby, who identified a biological male competing in a girls’ state pole vault competition. The controversy led to Libby’s censure by the state’s House of Representatives, prompting her to file a lawsuit seeking to restore her voting and speaking rights.

The contentious issue has divided public opinion, with protests both in support of and against the involved parties. Female athletes spoke out against Governor Mills at a “March Against Mills” outside the Maine State House, while pro-trans activists protested outside Libby’s home.

As the situation continues to unfold, the implications of the funding pause and the broader debate over transgender athletes in women’s sports remain at the forefront of the ongoing controversy.