President Donald Trump's administration suspended $175 million in federal grants to the University of Pennsylvania on Wednesday, following an investigation into a transgender swimmer who competed for the school in 2022.
The investigation centered on swimmer Lia Thomas, who competed on the school's women's team and who in 2022 was the first to win the Division I title as an openly transgender athlete. The Education Department inquiry began in 2025 after President Trump signed an executive order meant to bar transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.
The order allows federal agencies to withhold funds from schools that don't adhere to the administration's interpretation of Title IX, which outlaws sex-based discrimination in education settings.
The White House says it stopped funding for University of Pennsylvania that was coming from the Defense Department and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The University of Pennsylvania told The Associated Press it wasn't immediately aware of the details of the funding suspension.
"We have been in the past, and remain today, in full compliance with the regulations that apply to not only Penn, but all of our NCAA and Ivy League peer institutions," said school spokesman Ron Ozio.
RELATED STORY | Trump clashes with Maine's governor over transgender women in sports
Also on Wednesday, an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education found Maine was in violation of Title IX antidiscrimination law for permitting transgender girls to play on girls' teams and use girls' athletic facilities.
According to the Education Department, Maine has 10 days to accept certain changes or the case will be sent to the Department of Justice.
President Donald Trump clashed with Maine Gov. Janet Mills on the issue during a meeting with a bipartisan group of governors at the White House last month, shortly after he signed the order meant to prohibit people who were assigned male at birth from participating in women's sports.
"Are you not going to comply with it?" Trump asked Mills at the event.
"I'm complying with state and federal law," Mills responded.
"Well, we are the federal law," Trump said. "Well, you better do it because you're not going to get any federal funding at all if you don't," Trump said.
"See you in court," Mills said at the time.
