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Maine’s USDA Funding Suspended Amid Sports Policy Dispute

United States: The University of Maine announced Tuesday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has suspended funding for its programs following a dispute between former President Donald Trump and Governor Janet Mills over Maine’s transgender athlete inclusion policy.

USDA Halts $30 Million in Funding

The USDA’s chief financial officer instructed the university to freeze all payments while the department assesses potential civil rights violations. The university, which receives $30 million in USDA funding for fiscal year 2024, revealed the funding freeze in a press release, as reported by Reuters.

A request for comment from the USDA went unanswered as of late Tuesday.

Trump and Mills Face Off Over Transgender Athletes

The funding suspension follows a February 21 debate at the White House, where Trump and Mills clashed over transgender athlete policies.

Trump insisted that transgender athletes should compete based on their assigned gender at birth, warning Mills:

“You better do it because you’re not going to get federal funding.”

Mills stood her ground, responding:

“We’re going to follow the law, sir. We’ll see you in court.”

Trump fired back:

“Enjoy your life after governor because I don’t think you’ll be an elected official afterwards.”

USDA Opens Civil Rights Investigation

The day after the debate, the USDA launched an investigation into whether the University of Maine violated federal anti-discrimination regulations.

The university provided evidence of compliance with state and federal laws, as well as National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) policies, which already restrict transgender women from competing in female varsity athletics, as reported by Reuters.