The Trump administration has suspended $175 million in federal funds at the University of Pennsylvania (UPEN), including agencies that include transgender athletes. Fox News.
This suspension has pending investigation into Upenn's alleged Title IX violations and could threaten the entire school's federal funding package.
As of 2024, UPENN's total federal funding package totaled around $1 billion.
Upenn is one of three agencies chosen for the Title IX investigation after President Trump signed the “Stop Men from Women's Sports” executive order on February 5th.
Upenn appeared at the forefront of trans athlete debate in 2022. Male swimmer Wil Thomas decided to identify him as a woman and joined the women's team. Upon reaching the women's team, Will, named Leah, began to defeat all of the female enemies and destroy the female NCAA records.
Thomas won the National Championship in the NCAA 500-yard freestyle and took Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines in fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle. However, only Thomas receives the race trophy.
Gaines, who has since emerged as a leader in the movement to keep trans athletes out of women's sports, took him to X on Wednesday to celebrate the Trump administration's decisive action against UPenn.
“Three years ago, I raced and tied it together in the DI NCAA Championship in 200 freestyle,” writes Gaines. “Today, the Trump administration suspended $175 million in federal funding to the University of Pennsylvania for this reason. It's a coincidence.”
That year's NCAA Women's Swimming Event began a fierce debate that turned transgender athletes in women's sports into the presidential issue of 2024.
Suspensions or elimination of federal funds from schools and governments that do not comply with Trump's executive orders may continue. Several state and federal representatives are calling for cuts in school boards, schools and government funding that refuse to comply.
