Maine Faces Federal Funding Freeze Over Women’s Sports Policy

Maine’s university system is facing a federal funding freeze after Gov. Janet Mills refused to comply with President Trump’s executive order banning biological men from competing in women’s sports.

The USDA is now investigating potential Title IX violations, putting the state’s education funding at risk.

Key Facts:

The USDA has temporarily paused funding to the University of Maine System (UMS) over the state’s refusal to follow President Trump’s executive order protecting women’s sports.
Maine’s Democratic Gov. Janet Mills publicly defied Trump’s order, pledging not to comply and threatening legal action.
The USDA launched an investigation into UMS’s compliance with Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education.
Columbia University also faced federal funding cuts for failing to protect Jewish students during antisemitic campus protests.
The USDA stated the funding pause is temporary while it evaluates potential Title IX or Title VI violations.

The Rest of The Story:

Maine’s standoff with the federal government began when Gov. Mills openly rejected Trump’s executive order banning biological men from competing in women’s sports.

Following her defiant stance, the USDA placed the entire University of Maine System under scrutiny for potential Title IX violations.

.@USDA has initiated a compliance review of the University of Maine following the state’s disregard for @POTUS’ EO, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.”

Let me be clear: Any institution that chooses to disregard it can count on losing future funding. https://t.co/osiJI53yiB pic.twitter.com/lMJICdGXiA

— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) February 22, 2025

The move to freeze federal funding extends beyond Maine.

Columbia University also faced a financial hit for allegedly failing to address antisemitic incidents on campus.

The USDA emphasized that these funding holds are temporary while it reviews compliance with federal laws.

As Chairman of the House Appropriations USDA subcommittee, I fully support pausing any disbursement of funds to the University of Maine System pending investigations of federal civil rights policy violations by that system.https://t.co/YjCITKy5iE

— Rep. Andy Harris, MD (@RepAndyHarrisMD) March 12, 2025

Mills’ opposition was fueled by the Maine Principals’ Association, which declared it would continue allowing biological males to compete in female sports.

Shortly after, a male athlete won a high school girls’ competition, adding fuel to the ongoing national debate over fairness in women’s athletics.

Commentary:

Maine’s leadership is fighting a losing battle against reality.

The vast majority of Americans reject the idea that biological men should be allowed to compete in women’s sports.

Science is clear—men have natural physiological advantages over women, making these competitions unfair and even dangerous.

Trump has been unwavering in his commitment to protecting women’s sports, standing firm despite opposition from left-wing politicians and activist groups.

His executive order was a response to the growing number of female athletes losing opportunities, records, and even suffering injuries in competitions against biological males.

Yet, Maine’s Democratic leaders are choosing to die on this hill, willing to risk federal funding to cling to a radical agenda that does not reflect the will of most Americans.

The reality is that biological sex matters in sports.

Women’s achievements and opportunities should not be sacrificed on the altar of ideological activism.

The decision to defy federal law could have long-term consequences for Maine’s education system.

Universities depend on federal funding, and if Mills continues down this path, the state’s students will be the ones paying the price.

The question is, how far is Maine willing to go to uphold a policy that is both unpopular and scientifically indefensible?

The Bottom Line:

Gov. Mills’ defiance of Trump’s order has put Maine’s university system at risk of losing federal funding.

While the USDA’s investigation is ongoing, it is clear that the Biden-era push to redefine Title IX has met strong resistance.

Trump’s firm stance on protecting women’s sports is resonating with Americans who recognize the inherent unfairness of allowing biological males to compete against women.

If Maine refuses to comply, it may face lasting financial and legal consequences.