According to UMS officials, the US Department of Agriculture has suspended funding for the University of Maine System (UMS), a network of eight public universities in the state.
The suspension corresponds to the state's recent refusal to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order to keep trans athletes out of women's sports.
The funding suspension has been denied to keep trans athletes out of women's sports amid the state's refusal to comply with Trump's recent executive order, as the USDA reviews potential Title IX and reviews violations of Title VI by universities.
In his March 4 speech, Trump reaffirmed his intention to punish states that continue to allow trans athletes to compete with girls in a joint session of Congress.
Trump's administration is now acting on that promise.
A UMS spokesperson was confirmed with Fox News Digital on Tuesday and notified that the funds would be suspended.
“Emails forwarded to the University of Maine, which appears to have originated from the USDA's Chief Financial Officer's office, direct the department “to not issue temporary payments to the awarding institutions and staff offices and not to allow the release of other funds to the Columbia University or the University of Maine system,” the spokesman said.
“The message states: “This pause is inherently temporary, but the USDA will assess whether subsequent actions should be taken in relation to future Title VI or Title IX violations. Take the necessary actions to achieve this direction from leadership. This pause will take effect until further notice.”
A UMS spokesperson told the USDA that the university was “compliant with relevant state and federal laws, and UMS University is a member of the NCAA.”
However, UMS says it will make the situation even clearer after “further analysis is complete.”
In 2024 alone, USDA awarded UMS $29.78 million for research, the system said.
In a letter addressed to the system, USDA claims it has provided more than $100 million to UMS in recent years.
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The NCAA also amended its gender eligibility policy to biologically prohibit men from competing in women's sports.
Trump initially vowed to cut funds to Maine if he continued to allow trans athletes to compete in women's sports during a GOP governor meeting held at the White House on February 20th.
The following day, Janet Mills' office responded with a statement threatening legal action against the Trump administration if it withholds federal funds from the state.
Trump and Mills then spawned verbally in a widely publicized discussion at the White House during a bipartisan meeting of the governor.
Hours after that interaction, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it would investigate the state by allowing trans athletes to violate women's sports and potential Title IX.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has already decided that the state and its Department of Education violated Title IX by allowing trans athletes to compete and provided referrals to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Republican Maine Sen. Laurel Libby helped ignite a controversial situation in early February when she identified biological men who competed in the women's state pole vault competition for Greeley High School on social media.
Police protection was assigned to Greeley High School amid the controversy.
Libby was subsequently denounced for the post by the state House of Representatives and speaker Ryan Fecto.
Libby filed a lawsuit against Fecteau on Tuesday in response to the accusations, attempting to restore his rights to vote and speak.
The controversy sparked a protest against Mills, known as “March against Mills” outside the state capitol in Maine on Saturday morning.
Several female athletes took microphones on the march to oppose the Democratic governor.
A day later, eight parent activists protested outside Libby's home, opposing her views.
They had signs that, according to the main wire, “Your shame to exploit children 4” and “Protect trans youth.”
