Maine’s University System Reverses Course on Transgender Athletes Amid Federal Funding Cuts Looming
In a significant development, the University of Maine System (UMS), a network of eight public universities, complied with Trump’s executive order to protect women in women’s sports, agreeing to exclude men who identify as women from competing. The decision, announced Thursday, comes after the Trump administration paused federal funding to the system, escalating a weeks-long standoff between the state of Maine and the federal government over transgender inclusion in athletics.
The conflict began when Maine Governor Janet Mills refused to comply with President Donald Trump‘s executive order titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” prohibiting transgender women—those born male at birth—from competing in girls’ and women’s sports at federally funded institutions. The order ties compliance to the receipt of federal funds under Title IX, the law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education. Maine, a state with a history of progressive policies, including the Maine Human Rights Act, initially resisted the directive.
The UMS, which relies heavily on federal funding for research and programs, faced immediate pressure when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) suspended millions in grants last week. In fiscal year 2024 alone, the USDA provided nearly $30 million to UMS, supporting initiatives from agricultural research to youth education programs like 4-H. The funding pause, described as temporary while the USDA evaluated potential Title IX violations, prompted a swift reassessment of its athletic policies.
UMS officials had previously maintained that their practices aligned with both state law and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) guidelines, which had recently shifted to exclude transgender women from women’s sports following Trump’s order. Notably, the university system reported no transgender athletes currently participating in NCAA-sanctioned women’s sports across its seven campuses. Despite this, the USDA’s action—and the broader threat of losing federal support—appears to have forced Maine’s hand.
On Wednesday, the USDA confirmed that UMS had demonstrated compliance with the executive order, and funding was reinstated shortly thereafter. A UMS spokesperson expressed relief at resolving the issue, stating that the system had “clearly communicated its commitment” to ensuring “equal opportunities for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports,” echoing the language of Trump’s directive. The decision marks a reversal from the state’s earlier defiance, led by Governor Janet Mills, who had publicly clashed with Trump over the policy and threatened legal action if federal funding was withheld.
Maine’s initial refusal to comply stemmed from its Maine Human Rights Act, amended in 2021 to include gender identity as a protected class. Governor Mills, a Democrat, argued that the state was obligated to provide equal opportunities to all students, including transgender athletes, and accused Trump of overstepping his authority. In a heated exchange at a White House governors’ meeting in February, Trump warned Mills that Maine would lose all federal funding unless it aligned with his order, a threat he reiterated in subsequent speeches.
