Trump admin cuts funding to Maine universities as state defies order to ban trans athletes from women's sports
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is pausing funding to the University of Maine System (UMS), a network of eight public colleges in the state, according to UMS officials. The pause is in response to the state'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 comes as the USDA reviews potential Title IX and Title VI violations by the universities, amid the state's recent refusal to comply with Trump's executive order to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports. Trump reaffirmed his intent to punish states that continue to allow trans athletes to compete with girls during his March 4 address to a joint session of Congress.
Trump's administration has now acted on that promise.
A UMS spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital on Tuesday it has been notified its funding will be paused.
MAINE REP LAUREL LIBBY FILES LAWSUIT OVER CENSURE FOR CALLING OUT TRANS ATHLETE IN GIRLS' SPORTS
"An email forwarded to the University of Maine that appears to have originated from the USDA’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer directs the department’s 'awarding agencies and staff offices to temporarily no longer issue any payments or authorize any other releases of funding to Columbia University or the University of Maine System,'" the spokesperson said.
"The message goes on to state, 'This pause is temporary in nature while USDA evaluates if it should take any follow-on actions related to prospective Title VI or Title IX violations. Please take any necessary actions to effectuate this direction from leadership. This pause will remain in effect until further notice.'"
The UMS spokesperson says the system told the USDA the universities "were in compliance with relevant state and federal laws and that UMS universities are members of the NCAA," adding the system is "unaware" of any Title VI violations.
However, UMS says it will provide further clarity on the situation after "further analysis is completed."
In fiscal year 2024 alone, the USDA awarded $29.78 million in funding to UMS for research, the system said. The USDA claims it has provided over $100 million to the UMS in recent years in a letter addressed to the system.
The NCAA also amended its gender eligibility policy to prohibit any athlete born biologically male from competing in women's sports.
Trump initially vowed to cut funding to Maine specifically if it continued to allow trans athletes to compete in girls sports during a meeting of GOP governors at the White House on Feb. 20.
The next day, Gov. Janet Mills' office responded with a statement threatening legal action against the Trump administration if it withheld federal funding from the state. Then Trump and Mills verbally sparred in a widely publicized argument at the White House during a bipartisan meeting of governors.
Just hours after that interaction, the U.S. Department of Education announced it would investigate the state for allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports and for potential Title IX violations.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has already determined that the state and its department of education have violated Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to compete and has made a referral to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Republican Maine state Rep. Laurel Libby helped ignite the contentious situation when, in early February, she identified a biological male who competed in and won a girls state pole vault competition for Greely High School on social media. Police protection was assigned to Greely High School during the controversy.
Libby was then censured by the state's House of Representatives and Speaker Ryan Fecteau for the post. Libby filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Fecteau in response to the censure, seeking to have her voting and speaking rights restored.
The controversy has even incited a protest against Mills called the "March Against Mills" outside the Maine's State House Saturday morning.
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Several female athletes took the microphone at the march to speak out against the Democratic governor.
A day later, eight pro-trans activists protested outside Libby's home in opposition to her views.
They held signs that said "Shame on you Laurel 4 exploiting a child 4 your political gain" and "Protect trans youth," according to the Maine Wire.
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