Federal Funding Risks for States with Transgender Policies
During an interview on the Alex Marlowe Show, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon mentioned that states like Minnesota and California could potentially lose federal funding due to their policies on transgender issues.
Marlowe specifically brought up recent actions from the Department of Justice regarding Minnesota’s allowance of transgender-identifying men in women’s sports and spaces, along with an investigation in California examining claims that schools kept “gender transitions” from parents.
“There’s still a lot of crazy stuff going on in these blue states, Secretary,” Marlowe remarked. “Where are we on this?”
“We are continuing our investigation and [the states] might have their federal funding revoked for not adhering to the law,” McMahon responded.
On February 5, 2025, President Donald Trump reaffirmed a campaign promise by signing an executive order titled “Keep Men Away from Women’s Sports.” This order stated that, according to Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, institutions receiving federal funds cannot deny women equal opportunities in sports.
The order makes clear that the U.S. policy is to cut funding from educational programs that compromise fair athletic opportunities for women and girls, and it opposes male participation in women’s sports for reasons related to safety, equity, and dignity.
Earlier, in January 2025, President Trump also signed an executive order concerning “Protecting Women from Gender Ideological Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government” and “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 School Education.”
“The president has made it clear that men will be men, women will be women, and men will not participate in women’s sports,” McMahon explained to Marlowe. “Even in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling, states that continue to defy it risk losing federal funding.”
The Supreme Court recently heard two cases regarding transgender athletes, appearing sympathetic to the state laws that restrict men from participating in women’s sports. A decision from the court is expected by the summer.
