Maine sues USDA over withheld funds in transgender athlete dispute

By lauraharris // 2025-04-13

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Maine has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) after the agency froze federal funds due to the state's policy allowing transgender athletes in girls' sports.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins claims Maine’s policies discriminate against female athletes by requiring them to compete against and share facilities (e.g. locker rooms) with male-born athletes, violating Title IX.
The state argues the USDA unlawfully withheld funds without proper due process, threatening critical child nutrition programs that feed thousands of students and vulnerable adults.
The lawsuit follows former President Donald Trump's executive order banning federal funding for programs allowing biological males in women's sports, fulfilling a key campaign promise.
The state is asking the court to block the USDA's funding freeze, insisting Title IX was meant to ensure equal opportunities for transgender athletes, not restrict them.

The state of Maine has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) after the agency blocked its federal funds for allowing the participation of transgender athletes in girls' sports. The legal battle comes after USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins notified Maine Gov. Janet Mills in an April 2 letter that certain education program funds had been paused, alleging the state's athletic policies discriminate against female students. Rollins argued that Maine failed to protect girls from being forced to compete against or share spaces like locker rooms with male-born athletes, a violation of Title IX's prohibition on sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs. In response, Maine filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court on April 7. Based on the lawsuit, the state accused the USDA of bypassing legal protocols by freezing money earmarked for school meal programs. The state warned that withholding funds jeopardizes staff pay and equipment needed for child nutrition programs, potentially disrupting meals for thousands of students and vulnerable adults. "The secretary took this action without following any of the statutory and regulatory requirements that must be complied with when terminating federal funds based on alleged violations of Title IX," the lawsuit read. "Without staff and equipment, there will be no way for CNP [Child Nutrition Program] staff to collect, approve and process claims for reimbursement from schools and other facilities providing meals to children and vulnerable adults. There will thus be no way to get funds from the USDA to schools and other facilities, and children will not be fed." Rollers insisted the pause doesn't affect existing meal programs but warned Maine must prove compliance with Title IX to resume full funding. The USDA has also launched a broader audit of Maine education grants approved under former President Joe Biden, calling some "wasteful or redundant." However, Maine argued that this undermines the original intent of Title IX, which was to ensure equal opportunities for transgender athletes. In line with this, Maine sought legal action to block the USDA's freeze on federal funds over alleged Title IX violations and requested a restraining order and permanent injunction. (Related: Trump clashes with Maine governor over transgender athletes, threatens federal FUNDING CUTS.)

Trump fulfills his promise to end transgender participation in women's sports

This action comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Feb. 5, rejecting the inclusion of biological males in women's sports and cutting federal funding from educational programs that undermine fair athletic opportunities for women and girls. The order emphasized that allowing men to compete against women is "demeaning, unfair and dangerous to women and girls and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports." "With this executive order, the war on women's sports is over," he said during the signing ceremony in the White House East Room on Feb. 5. "If you let men take over women's sports teams or invade your locker rooms, you will be investigated for violations of Title IX and risk your federal funding," he said. This fulfills his 2024 presidential campaign promise to end the participation of transgender athletes in women's sports. Visit Wokies.news for more stories like this. Watch the video below where Trump publicly calls out the Maine governor for not complying with federal orders of protecting women's sports.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

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Trump fulfills his promise to end transgender participation in women's sports

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