Maine universities agree to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports after Trump admin pauses funding
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday that the University of Maine System (UMS) has agreed to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports.
UMS, a network of eight public universities in Maine, was subject to a temporary pause in funding from the USDA last week during an ongoing battle between the state and the federal government over trans inclusion in women's and girls sports. The funding was reinstated just days later.
The USDA now claims the UMS is in full compliance with Trump's executive order.
TRUMP ADMIN RESPONDS TO MAINE'S RELUCTANCE TO BAN TRANS ATHLETES FROM GIRLS SPORTS
"After the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiated a Title IX compliance review regarding federal funding, the University of Maine System (UMaine) has clearly communicated its compliance with Title IX’s requirement to protect equal opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports, as articulated in President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order," the USDA said in its announcement.
"Any false claim by the UMaine can, and will, result in onerous and even potentially criminal financial liability."
UMS Chancellor Dannel Malloy provided a statement to Fox News Digital, saying the system is "relieved" to have come to an understanding with the USDA.
"The University of Maine System has always maintained its compliance with state and federal laws and with NCAA rules, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture also affirmed in a press release today," said Chancellor Malloy.
"We are relieved to put the Department’s Title IX compliance review behind us so the land-grant University of Maine and our statewide partners can continue to leverage USDA and other essential federal funds to strengthen and grow our natural resource economy and dependent rural communities through world-class education, research and extension."
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 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 violated Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to compete and warned that it will make a referral to the U.S. Department of Justice if the state does not provide a written agreement to comply with Trump's executive order.
"What HHS is asking of the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Principals’ Association (MPA) and Greely High School is simple — protect female athletes’ rights. Girls deserve girls-only sports without male competitors. And if Maine won’t come to the table to voluntarily comply with Title IX, HHS will enforce Title IX to the fullest extent permitted by the law," OCR acting Director Anthony Archeval said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
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