The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday that the University of Maine System (UMS) had agreed to follow President Donald Trump's executive order to keep transgender athletes out of women's sports.
UMS, a network of eight public universities in Maine, was subject to a temporary suspension of funding from the USDA last week amid an ongoing battle between the state and federal government over the transport of women and girls to sports.
The funds were revived a few days later.
The USDA now claims that UMS is fully compliant with Trump's executive order.
“After the USDA launched a Title IX compliance review on federal funds, the University of Maine System (UMAINE) has clearly communicated the requirements for Title IX for women and girls to compete in safe and fair sports, as clarified in President Donald J. Trump's Presidential Singing,” the USDA announced.
“False claims by Umaine can provide troublesome and potentially criminal financial liability.”
UMS Prime Minister Dannel Malloy provided a statement to Fox News Digital, saying the system is “reliable” that it understands USDA.
“The University of Maine system has always maintained compliance with state and federal laws and NCAA regulations, which the USDA confirmed in today's press release,” Premier Malloy said.
“We are relieved that we will have a divisional Title IX compliance review behind us so that Maine Land Cultivation University and partners across the state can leverage USDA and other important federal funds to continue to leverage USDA and other critical federal funds to strengthen and grow rural communities through world-class education, research and expansion.”
In 2024 alone, USDA awarded UMS $29.78 million for research, the system said.
USDA claims it has provided more than $100 million to UMS in recent years Addressed letter To the system.
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 allow trans athletes to participate in women's sports and investigate the state for possible Title IX violations.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has already decided that states and their education departments have violated Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to compete and allowing states to refer them to the U.S. Department of Justice.
“What HHS is asking for from the Maine Department of Education, the Main Principal Association (MPA) and Greeley High School – protecting the rights of female athletes. Girls deserve girls only sports without male competitors. News Digital.
