USDA launches investigation at Maine university over EO on trans women in sports
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced on Saturday that it would be conducting a compliance review of the University of Maine in response to the State of Maine’s refusal to adhere to President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) 14201, ‘Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.’ This review comes after investigations initiated by the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services following a heated exchange between President Trump and Democratic Maine Governor Janet Mills regarding transgender student-athletes participating in women’s sports.
In a statement shared with Fox News Digital, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins emphasized the importance of upholding the president’s executive order and stated that any institution choosing to ignore it risks losing future funding from the USDA. The University of Maine, which receives over $100 million in USDA funding, is now under scrutiny for its non-compliance with the EO.
The clash between President Trump and Governor Mills occurred during a bipartisan meeting of governors at the White House, where President Trump warned Governor Mills that Maine would lose federal funding if it did not adhere to the executive order. Governor Mills defiantly responded with, “We’ll see you in court,” prompting President Trump to assert that federal funding would be cut off if the state did not comply.
Maine is among several states that have challenged President Trump’s executive order prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. President Trump’s threats to withhold federal funding from Maine prompted the Department of Education to launch an investigation into the state’s schools, specifically looking into allegations that male athletes were still participating in girls’ interscholastic athletics.
During a meeting with Republican governors, President Trump reiterated his stance on the issue, stating that federal funding would be withheld from Maine until they addressed the issue of men competing in women’s sports. He criticized Governor Mills for her resistance to complying with the executive order and highlighted the physical differences between men and women in sports.
President Trump continued to criticize Governor Mills at the Conservative Political Action Conference, emphasizing the overwhelming support for keeping men out of women’s sports. He urged Governor Mills to continue fighting for her stance on the issue, as he believed it was a matter of common sense and fairness.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House and the University of Maine for comment on the situation. The ongoing compliance review of the University of Maine serves as a reminder of the consequences for institutions that choose to defy federal mandates and discriminate against women in sports.
